by Christy Caplan|
February 15, 2019
Herbs can be fed directly into the feed or free choice like you do with other types of supplements (e.g. Oyster Shell). You can also add herbs to the dust bath.
We partnered with Scratch and Peck for this post as we’ve been using their Cluckin’ Good Organic Herbs for months with all the hens. The ingredients include organic garlic, ginger, parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, nettle and my fave herb, calendula. These herbs go directly into the feed and the hens gobble them up!
Herbs are important for a variety of health issues and below are the specific reasons my husband and I like to use these with the ladies. As a chicken keeper, a lot of the “first aid” you learn in the beginning includes wound care and respiratory issues. Some issues you can tackle proactively, as herbs make a big difference in keeping your flock healthy. (Avoid any wheezing and coughing).
Herbs and their benefits
More about each of these and how the flock will benefit. My husband and I always look to Lisa Steele, chicken expert and author of Fresh Eggs Daily, for advice and learned the following,
These herbs are all in Scratch and Peck’s Cluckin’ Good Organic Herbs!
Lisa Steele tells us the benefits are,
- Garlic: laying stimulant
- Ginger: high in vitamins, parasite control
- Parsley: laying stimulant
- Thyme: helps with respiratory health
- Basil: antibacterial
- Oregano: boosts immunity, combats coccidia
- Nettle: Increases egg production
- Calendula: great insect repellant and makes yolks orange (who doesn’t love orange yolks!)
I grow Lavender, which repels flies and insects, and Mint, which repels rodents and bugs. I frequently add these as dried herbs directly in the chicken coops.
Chicken first aid kit: medicinal herbs!
I also keep some dried herbs in my chicken first aid kit. Plants were the original pharmacy for humans and animals and cultures around the world developed remedies that remain in use today. That applies to chickens too! I use herbs with my three dogs all the time as some herbs have anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition to Cluckin’ Good Organic Herbs, I keep satchels of other medicinal dried herbs in my first aid kit. These include:
- Basil: Used for thousands of years as a culinary and medicinal herb. It acts principally on the digestive and nervous systems, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic and indigestion.
- Wormwood: A very bitter plant with a long history of use as a medicinal herb. It is valued especially for its tonic effect on the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, and for its vermicidal activity. It is an extremely useful medicine for those with weak and under-active digestion. Be VERY careful that your birds don’t nibble on Wormwood but instead use this in their coop to repel mites. I take a small satchel and attach it to the top of the coop away from the roost bars so they cannot nibble on it. Wormwood can be toxic!
- Ginger and Dandelion: Commonly used for digestion issues. I keep some of these dried and add them into feed or free choice.
There are so many ways to administer herbs but for chickens using them directly into the feed works best. You can also create a wash and rinse for skin injuries if someone gets pecked! This can be therapeutic for a hen. Remember to put them in your “hospital” wing until they’re all healed up! Questions or comments? Please leave them below.
Disclaimer: This is sponsored. We received product and compensation in exchange for an honest review. I only share information about products that I believe in and already fit into our doggie & chicken lifestyle and routine.
Medical disclaimer: I’m not a Vet so please check with your Vet or holistic vet when you start looking start adding herbs for various health conditions. While I do believe in herbs as they have many health benefits, they are not FDA approved so please use these at your discretion.
pin me
