Herbs for Healthy Backyard Chickens

Keep your backyard chickens happy and healthy with a diet full of fresh (or dried) herbs.

Keep your backyard chickens happy and healthy with a diet chock full of fresh (or dried) herbs. All kinds of culinary herbs and edible flowers contain a multitude of vitamins, minerals and other components that contribute to better flock health.

Some herbs target specific body parts or functions, while others are beneficial to overall health.

Herbs for Healthy Backyard Chickens

I grow my chickens their own herb garden that they love to wander through nibbling at the fresh herbs and taking dust baths in. I also dry excess herbs to crush and add to their feed in the winter when fresh are not available.

Kitchen Herb Garden

Herbs don't need a lot of space and you can easily grow several varieties even in a windowbox or container.

My kitchen herb garden that I have on our back deck (to keep those herbs safe from the chickens!) is full of basil, dill, mint, parsley, sage and thyme that I use in my cooking.

My kitchen herb garden only measures about 2x3. You can easily grow your chickens plenty of herbs in a similarly-sized planter.

Chicken Herb Garden

But my chickens have their own herb garden.

My chicken's regular herb garden next to the coop is a 4x6 raised bed garden, in which I'm able to grow more than enough herbs for them - plus allow them space to take dust baths right in their garden!

A 4x4 garden or even a 2x2 garden will provide lots of space for a couple of varieties of herbs - and even for a couple of chickens!

Herbs can be offered free choice or added to the feed. I prefer to let my chickens choose what they want to eat, and how much, and have spent a lot of time watching my flock to see which herbs they seem to prefer.

I do end up replanting the herbs a few times throughout the season, although sometimes I cage the plants and only let my girls nibble on the leaves that grow through the cages.

If you're just getting started with chicken keeping or herb gardening, this list of various herbs and their specific focus on backyard chicken health might come in handy.