The Basics of Natural Chicken Keeping
I have been raising our flock of backyard chickens naturally for nearly a decade now without giving them any chemicals or antibiotics.
I raised chickens as a kid and grew up across the street from my grandparents chicken farm. And I have been sharing my natural chicken keeping methods here on the blog since 2011.
The Basics of Natural Chicken Keeping
I've written about raising baby chicks naturally, and written numerous articles about various aspects of natural chicken care over the years, but for those just starting out on the natural path, or starting out with adult laying hens not baby chicks, here's a quick guide to the basics of natural chicken keeping.
It's not hard to 'go natural', not expensive and it's never too late to start on the natural path to happy, healthy chickens!
Of course fresh water, good-quality layer feed and a secure, dry coop along with a safe run or pen for daytime are the basic cornerstones of successful chicken keeping.
But if you take a few extra steps to boost your flock's immune system and provide them the tools to keep themselves healthy, thereby avoiding having to even try to diagnose illness when one is ailing, you'll find your chicken keeping much more enjoyable and stress-free.
Using herbs and edible flowers, along with some natural supplements, you can keep your flock healthy relatively easily and very inexpensively and thereby avoid vet visits, antibiotics and medications.
So let me share my quick guide to a more natural path to healthier chickens and healthier eggs for your family to eat. (Note: click on each of the topic headings below to read a complete article on each subject)
Garlic
Purpose: Garlic is a natural immune system booster and antibiotic.
It also works as a natural intestinal wormer, repels parasites such as fleas, mites and lice and reduces the smell of manure.
Application: Add a smashed fresh garlic clove to your chickens' water when you refill it or feed minced fresh garlic free-choice several times a month, alternatively mix some garlic powder into their daily feed (2% ratio).
To purchase: Brewer's Yeast with Garlic Powder
Apple Cider Vinegar
Purpose: Helps keep water clean, preventing growth of algae and bacteria.
Assists in intestinal health and aids in digestion.
Assists in calcium absorption. Promotes respiratory health. Antiseptic properties promote overall health.
Application: One Tablespoon ACV per gallon of water several times a week (use raw, organic apple cider vinegar with the 'mother' such as Bragg).
To Purchase: Bragg
Probiotics
Purpose: Promotes the growth of good bacteria in the intestines and gut and supports the immune system.
Aids in digestion and increases feed conversion ratios. Increases egg production and improves shell quality. Reduces the chance of hens succumbing to e.coli or salmonella.
Application: Add to daily feed or water (2% ratio).
To Purchase: Poultry Probiotics
Prebiotics
Purpose: Prebiotics basically set the stage for probiotics to work. They go hand in hand with probiotics by nourishing the probiotics and providing 'food' for them.
Prebiotics trigger the growth of healthy bacteria and increase a body's resistance to pathogens.
One of the best sources of prebiotics is sea kelp, but other sources include barley, berries, dandelion greens, flaxseeds, garlic, honey, what bran and yams.
Application: Add to daily feed (2% ratio).
To Purchase: Organic Coop Kelp
Twice-Yearly Wormer
Purpose: Offering your flock a twice-yearly natural alternative to commercial wormers can help them repel parasite infestations without ever having to resort to using chemicals.
Application: Add pumpkin seeds, nasturtium and fresh garlic to your chickens' diet for year round health benefits and then in spring and fall, try this all natural wormer.
Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Purpose: Thought to prevent intestinal parasites when fed internally. Also increases shell weight and thickness, increases egg production and increases hen body weight. Kills flies, ants and other insects in and around the coop. Kills mites and lice.
Application: Sprinkle around feeders, in nesting boxes and rub onto roosts as needed. Add to daily feed (2% ratio).
To Purchase: Absorbent Products
Crushed Egg Shells
Purpose: Adds additional needed calcium to laying hens' diets.
An alternative to commercial crushed oyster shell, drying and crushing your own egg shells is more economical and seems to be preferred by our chickens.
Application: Let egg shells dry completely, then crush them with your fingers or a rolling pin to 1/8"-sized pieces. Always offer free-choice in a small container.
Purpose: Herbs and flowers offer numerous benefits including repelling rodents and insects in your coop, providing increased respiratory health, increasing fertility, reducing anxiety and more.
Application: Add fresh or dried herbs and edible flowers to your coop and nesting boxes and refresh as needed. For a more complete list of common herbs and their benefits, read HERE.
To Purchase: The Original Coop Confetti Nesting Herbs
Dust Baths
Purpose: Dust baths are how chickens keep their feathers clean and themselves mite-, flea- and lice-free.
Application: Provide an area accessible to your flock where they can bathe. Dry, loose dirt and sand is a good base for the bathing area and adding some wood ash and dried herbs are extremely beneficial.
The wood ash helps to smother parasites while providing Vitamin K (which is a clotting agent) and detoxifying benefits if your chickens nibble a bit as they bathe as they are prone to do and the herbs also assist in repelling parasites.
Herbs such as rosemary, lavender, thyme and yarrow are all good choices for dust bath herbs.
Herbal Feed Supplements
Purpose: A good-quality layer feed should provide your chickens all the nutrition they need, but adding some dried herbs can help boost egg yolk color, provide respiratory system benefits, increase laying/fertility and more.
Application: Add dried herbs to the feed to boost health and production.
Fennel, nasturtium and parsley are thought to be laying stimulants; cilantro, sage and tarragon promote overall good health; basil and marigolds lead to more orange egg yolks.
Read more HERE about herbal feed supplements.
Now you've got the basics for natural chicken keeping. If you are interested in reading more about any of these topics, or learning more about some of the other methods I use to keep my flock healthy, I encourage you to check out my book Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally or any of my other books, all available online or at a bookstore or garden shop near you.
