Grow an Herbal First Aid Kit for Your Chickens
Growing herbs and edible flowers is easy and rewarding.
Most aren't very picky about where you plant them, what you plant them in, or even if you water them very often. They thrive in sandy soil, full sun and basically like to just be left alone.
Not only that, regular pruning or taking cuttings from herbs actually helps them grow, so you can help yourself to what you need all summer right from the garden. Or, the chickens can help themselves!
Herbs help to flavor your cooking, of course, but most herbs also have some powerful health benefits for both humans and animals.
I grow an Herbal First Aid Kit Garden for our chickens each spring and then use the herbs both fresh and dried to keep my flock happy and healthy.
Whether you just let your flock wander around and nibble what they want, or use the beneficial herbs in salves or ointments, it's a great idea to harness the healing powers of herbs.
Grow an Herbal First Aid Kit for Your Chickens
Why not plant your own Herbal First Aid Kit this year? Herbs can be started from seeds or seedlings. They can be planted in containers or raised beds. Many are perennials in many parts of the country.
These herbs (and edible flowers) can be used in all sorts of ways to strengthen your chickens' health or to treat wounds, infections or injuries. Just pick at least one herb from each category below to get started (and notice that some herbs do double duty).
Herbal First Aid Kit
Herbs with Anti-inflammatory Properties
Herbs with Antiseptic Properties
Herbs with Blood Clotting Properties
Herbs that Act as Detoxifiers
Herbs that Aid the Digestive System
Herbs that Help with Eye Health
Herbs that act as General Health Tonics
Herbs that Help Boost the Immune System
Herbs that Help with Pain Relief
Herbs that Help with Relaxation
Herbs that Help Improve Respiratory Health
Any of these herbs eaten fresh, dried or infused into a tea can help improve respiratory health.Herbs Thought to be Natural Wormers for Internal Parasites
Herbs that Help with Wound Healing
Read HERE for a more complete list of culinary herbs and their health benefits.
How to Use Herbs for Chicken First Aid
Here are some of the most common ways to use use herbs medicinally.
- Feed the fresh herbs free choice
- Make an infusion or herbal tea | Pour one cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried herbs and let steep for 15-30 minutes. Strain out the solids, cool and serve immediately or refrigerate. Here's a recipe for an Herbal Tea for your chickens.
- Make a decoction | Simmer dried or fresh herbs over low heat for 30-60 minutes, strain, cool and serve or refrigerate. This method is most often used for roots, bark and berries. Here's a decoction recipe for a Spring Herbal Tonic for your chickens.
- Make a tincture | Steep 1/2 cup of fresh herbs in 2 cups of white or apple cider vinegar for two weeks. Strain the solids and store in a covered container in a cool, dark spot. This is a very concentrated way to administer herbs internally and only requires a few drops to be ingested at a time. Here's a Digestive Tincture recipe from Wellness Mama. (I would just swap out the alcohol for apple cider vinegar if you're giving it to your chickens.)
- Make a basic salve | Melt 8 ounces oil (such as sweet almond oil, olive oil or other coconut oil) with 2 ounces beeswax and fresh or dried herbs of our choice. Simmer over low heat for several hours, then strain out the herb and pour the slave into a covered container to harden. Here's a great Calendula Salve recipe from Jan at The Nerdy Housewife that would be perfect to apply to a wound.
More Homemade Herbal First Aid Salves
I have a wonderful book named Herbal Medicine, written by Dian Dincin Buchanan in 1979 that has since been reprinted several times, and is available HERE.
It has really great information on the healing properties of many herbs and weeds. I highly recommend it as a reference since the information can be used for your family and your flock.