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Common Herbs and their Health Benefits for You and your Chickens

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Common culinary herbs have wonderful health benefits for you and your chickens.

Culinary herbs are easy to grow and have amazing health benefits for both you and your chickens.

I grow a wide assortment of herbs to use in cooking and also in conjunction with raising our chickens and ducks to keep them healthy naturally, without the use of antibiotics or medications.

Herbs and edible flowers look pretty and smell nice

They can help keep bugs and rodents out of your coop, aid in poultry overall health and well-being, providing essential vitamins and minerals, and also work to support the respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems.

I put fresh herbs in the nesting boxes to calm setting hens, repel insects and rodents and add an aromatic scent to the chicken coop.

I brew herbal tea for our chicks and ducklings to give them a good start in life and also for our laying hens. I put fresh herbs in my brooders for the newly hatched little ones also because the essential oils benefit their growth.

All of the culinary herbs, which are pretty much with I stick with, are perfectly safe to use around the chickens, so there's no worry about any being toxic or harmful to them. But be aware that there are some herbs that can be potentially harmful or toxic that you should steer clear of.

(CAUTION: I would add a note of caution when using essential oils because they are extremely concentrated and can actually be harmful if you don't use them correctly. I prefer using fresh or dried herbs.)

Stick with fresh herbs as much as possible, used dried when you don't have fresh, and toss a variety of herbs into your coop and nesting boxes any time you trim your herb plants. 

As a general guideline, I pretty much feed fresh herbs in unlimited amounts to my flock, and add dried herbs to their feed in a 1-2% ratio to the feed.

Here is a quick reference of some of the more common herbs and their specific benefits for us and for  our chickens.

Common Herbs and their Health Benefits for You and your Chickens

Alfalfa 

Benefits: 

High in protein
 Contributes to orange egg yolks
Reduces anxiety
Mild antibiotic
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
High in Vitamins, A, C, K and choline.

How to Use: Add to daily feed.

Basil 

Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Aids mucus membrane health
Supports circulatory and respiratory health
Supports orange egg yolks
Repels flies and mosquitoes
Stress reliever
Supports digestion and immune system health
Source of protein, Vitamin K and iron.

How to Use: Offer fresh or dry leaves and mix into daily feed.

Bay Leaves 

Benefits: 

Antiseptic
Antioxidant
Immune system booster
Insect repellent

How to Use: Add fresh or dried leaves to nesting boxes.

Bee Balm (bergamot/monarda) 

Benefits: 

Antiseptic
Antibacterial
Aids in respiratory health
Calming

How to Use: Add fresh flowers to nesting areas.

Borage 

Benefits: 

High in calcium, beta-carotene and niacin
Soothing
Supports cardiovascular health
Antioxidant
Improves mucus membrane health
Helps keep bugs out of the garden

How to Use: Dry and add to nesting areas.

Calendula

See "Marigold"

Cat  Mint

Benefits: 

Insect repellent
Reduces anxiety 
Aids in digestive health

How to Use: Scatter fresh flowers and leaves in nesting boxes.

Catnip

Benefits: 

Calming 
Reduced anxiety
Insect repellent

How to Use: Add fresh or dried to nesting areas.

Cayenne pepper 

Benefits: 

Aids circulation and blood flow
 Improves metabolism
Appetite stimulant
Antiseptic
Digestive enhancement
Can act as a natural wormer
Can help to increase egg production

How to Use: Add to daily feed, especially during the cold months.

Chamomile 

Benefits: 

Repels mites, fleas and lice
Antiseptic
Anti-inflammatory
Antibiotic
Calming
Acts as a relaxant
Blood detoxifier

How to Use: Scatter flower heads in nesting and dust bath areas.

Chervil

Benefits:  

Heals bruises
Thought to prevent illness
High in vitamins and minerals
Aids in mucus membrane health
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Overall health tonic

How to Use: Dry and add to daily feed.

Benefits:  

Anti-inflammatory
Natural pain reliever
Soothes mucus membranes
Aids in digestive health
Purifies and cleanses blood
High in B vitamins and Omega-6

How to Use: Offer fresh and free-choice.

Chives 

Benefits: 

Aids digestion
Stimulates appetite
Good source of iron

How to Use: Let chickens nibble on chives as they free range.

Cilantro 

Benefits: 

Antioxidant
Anti-fungal
Builds strong bones
High in Vitamin A for vision 
High in Vitamin K for blood clotting

How to Use: Dry and add to daily feed or feed fresh.

Cinnamon 

 Benefits: 

Promotes healthy breathing
Improves respiratory health

How to Use: Sprinkle over warm oatmeal in the winter or mix into dry feed.

Comfrey

Benefits:  

Pain reliever
Anti-inflammatory Helps to heal wounds
Promotes muscle, cartilage, and bone growth

How to Use: Note:  err on the side of caution - only to be used topically, not internally.

(Blue) Cornflower 

Benefits: 

Soothing
Anti-inflammatory
Aids immune system health
Anti-oxidant 
Improves skin health
Improves mucus membrane health
Symbol of fertility
Eases anxiety

How to Use: Add fresh or dried flowers to nesting boxes or mix dried flowers into feed.

Benefits: 

General health tonic
Diuretic which improves kidney and liver health
Blood detoxifier
Laying stimulant
High in calcium for strong eggshells
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory which helps to relieve pain
Aids in digestion
Contributes to orange egg yolks.

How to Use: Offer the leaves and flowers fresh or dried and mixed into feed


Dill

Benefits: 

Antioxidant
Antibacterial
Relaxant/calming
Improves respiratory health
Stimulates the appetite
Aids in digestion
Promotes feather growth
Acts as a stress reliever
Can help control diarrhea

How to Use: Dry and mix into daily feed or offer fresh.

Echinacea

Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Natural antibiotic
Aids in respiratory health
Strengthens the immune system

How to Use: Hang bouquets in the coop, scatter petals in the nesting area. Offer entire plant to chickens free-choice or in their run - petals, flower head, leaves, stems and roots

Fennel

Benefits: 

Laying stimulant
Boosts reproductive health
Insect repellent 
Relaxant

How to Use: Feed seeds and/or foliage free choice.

Garlic 

Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Provides overall health boost
Promotes optimal immune system health
Laying stimulant
Anti-fungal
Fights infection
Benefits circulatory and respiratory systems
Can help to relieve diarrhea
Believed to combat internal parasites
Promotes good bacteria in the gut

How to Use: Add powdered to daily feed or crush a clove or two into the water several times a week.

Ginger  

Benefits: 

Stress reducer (don't laugh, chickens have stress in their lives too at times!)
 Appetite stimulant
Anti-oxidant.

How to Use: Save kitchen trimmings - ends and peels - for the chickens and feed free choice.


Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Useful for treating wounds 
Helps to relieve eye infections

How to Use: Steep the flowers and leaves, then administer topically to eye or apply to injury.


Hyssop 

Benefits: 

Improves circulation
Heals wounds
Blood detoxifier

How to Use: Dry and add to daily feed.

Lavender 

Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Calming stress reliever
Improves blood circulation
Highly aromatic
Insect repellent
Laying stimulant

How to Use: Add fresh or dried buds to nesting and dust bath areas, plant lavender around coop and run area. Hang fresh stems in bouquets in the coop.

Lemon Balm

Benefits: 

Stress reliever
Antibacterial
Highly aromatic
Rodent and insect repellent
Calming

How to Use: Use leaves fresh or dried in nesting areas.

Lemon Verbena 

Benefits: 

Aromatic
Fly repellent 
Antiviral properties

How to Use: Plant around coop and run area.

Lemon Grass (citronella) 

Benefits: 

Fly repellent
Aromatic

How to Use: Plant around coop and run area.

Lovage 

Benefits: 

Aids respiratory and mucus membrane health
Blood detoxifier
Anti-inflammatory

How to Use: Dry plants and add to daily feed.

Marigold/Calendula

Benefits: 

Supports vibrant orange egg yolks, feet and beaks/bills
Insect repellent
 Antioxidant 
Antibacterial
Laying stimulant Can help control diarrhea

How to Use: Add dried blossoms to daily feed or feed flowers fresh. Plant around coop and run area to help keep bugs away.


Marjoram 

Benefits: 

Laying stimulant
Anti-inflammatory
Decongestant
 Improves blood circulation
Detoxifier 
Supports respiratory health

How to Use: Add dried to daily feed or offer fresh free-choice, sprinkle fresh or dried in nesting area.



Mint (all kinds) 

Benefits: 

Insect and rodent repellent
Antioxidant
Aids in respiratory health
Digestive aid
Lowers stress levels
 Aids in feather growth
Can increase egg production and size
 Leads to thicker eggshells

How to Use: Add dried to daily feed, scatter fresh or dried into nesting areas. Plant around coop and run area to help repel flies and rodents.


Nasturtium 

Benefits: 

Laying stimulant
Antiseptic
Anti-fungal
Antibiotic
Helps to repel insects
Thought to act as a natural wormer
Aids in respiratory health

How to Use: Feed leaves, seeds and flowers fresh or dry and add to daily feed to act as a natural wormer.


Benefits: 

Proven through studies to be a natural antibiotic
Antimicrobial
Antibacterial
Antioxidant
Antiviral
Anti-inflammatory
Antiseptic
Detoxifier
Research suggests helps to combat coccidiosis, salmonella, infectious bronchitis, avian flu and e-coli
 Strengthens immune system
Aids in respiratory and digestive system health

How to Use: Dry leaves and add to daily feed or offer fresh.


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Parsley

Benefits: 

High in vitamins A, B, C, calcium and iron
Aids in bone development
Aids in blood vessel development 
Improves circulation
Laying stimulant
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory 
Aids in digestive health

How to Use: Dry the leaves and add to the daily feed or offer fresh.


Peppermint

Benefits: 

Anti-parasitic insect repellent
Antibacterial
Anti-fungal
Antiviral
Digestive aid
Laying stimulant 

See Mint.

How to Use: Add dried to daily feed, scatter fresh or dried into nesting areas. Plant around coop and run area to help repel flies and rodents.

Pineapple Sage

Benefits:  

Aids nervous system
Calming
Highly aromatic
Antiseptic

How to Use: Scatter fresh flowers and leaves in nesting area.



Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Antimicrobial
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Helps to prevent infection
Thought to be a natural wormer

How to Use: Feed leaves fresh or dried.

Purslane 


Benefits:
 
Antioxidant
Great source of Omega-3s
High in vitamins A, B and C
High in calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium

How to Use: Feed leaves fresh.

Raspberry Leaf

Benefits: 

Antioxidant
Relaxant, stress reliever
Supports healthy reproductive system

How to Use: Dry leaves and add to daily feed. (fruit is great to feed also as a chicken snack!)

Rose Petals 

Benefits: 

Highly aromatic
High in Vitamin C
Antibacterial
Antioxidant
Aids respiratory system health
Mild sedative

How to Use: Offer fresh or scatter petals in nesting area, fresh or dried.


Rosemary 

Benefits: 

Calming and relaxing
Anti-inflammatory
Pain reliever
Aids in respiratory system health
Works to improve liver health
Insect repellent
Heals wounds
Aids blood circulation 
Improves digestive health

How to Use: Add to nesting and dust bath area, plants around coop and run area.

Sage 


Benefits: 

Antioxidant
Anti-parasitic
Antibacterial 
General health promoter
Improves immune system health
Thought to combat Salmonella
Laying stimulant

How to Use: Dry and add to daily feed.

Spearmint 

Benefits:

 Antiseptic
Insect repellent
Stimulates nerve, brain and blood functions

See Mint.

How to Use: Add dried to daily feed, scatter fresh or dried into nesting areas. Plant around coop and run area to help repel flies and rodents.

Tarragon 

Benefits: 

Antioxidant
Appetite stimulant

How to Use: Dry leaves and add to daily feed, scatter leaves, fresh or dried, in nesting areas and around coop.

Thyme 

Benefits:  

Aids in respiratory, digestive and immune system health
Antibacterial
Antioxidant
Anti-parasitic
Laying stimulant
Helps to heal infections
High in calcium, fiber, iron, manganese and riboflavin 
High in Omega-3 fatty acids that aid in brain and heart health
Source of Vitamins A, B6, and C
Works as an insect repellent

How to Use: Plant around coop and run area. Add fresh or dried to the nesting and dust bath areas, add to daily feed.


Benefits: 

Calming
High in Vitamin C
Aids in respiratory health.

How to Use: Hang bouquets of flowers in the coop, scatter in nesting areas, offer free-choice.

Yarrow

Benefits: 

Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Clears sinuses and respiratory systems
Stress reliever

How to Use: Hang bouquets of flowers in the coop.


Herbs are easy to grow, generally not picky about the soil they are grown in and many come back year after year. Think about growing an herb garden for your family - and for your chickens. You'll be glad you did!


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This information is partially excerpted from my books Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens....Naturally (St. Lynns Press, 2013) and Gardening with Chickens (Voyageur Press, 2016). Buy your copy online or anywhere books are sold.



Additional Sources/references:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/science/chicken-farms-try-oregano-as-antibiotic-substitute.html
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