The Health Benefits Of Herbs For Chickens

    The Health Benefits Of Herbs For Chickens

May 2, 2021

(An overhead pic of our herb garden!)

Almost every culinary herb (plus spices and many common flowers such as roses, nasturtium, bee balm, etc.) has amazing health benefits for both humans and animals. You can grow a wide assortment of herbs to use in cooking and also in conjunction with raising your chickens. Many are perennials, such as lavender, mint, thyme and pineapple sage, or reseed themselves like dill, parsley and cilantro, so you can just add a few more annuals, such as basil, marjoram and sage each spring to achieve a varied selection of herbs. You can put fresh herbs in the nesting boxes to calm laying hens, repel insects and rodents and add an aromatic scent to the chicken coop. You can brew herbal tea for our chicks and ducklings to give them a good start in life and also for our laying hens - warm in the winter, iced in the summer. You can put fresh herbs in chick brooders for the newly hatched little ones also because the essential oils benefit their growth. All of the culinary herbs are perfectly safe to use around the chickens, so there's no worry about any being toxic or harmful to them. You can just make up a mix of whatever needs to be cut back at any given time. It's a great way to snip and trim your herb plants when they need clipping without anything going to waste. Here is a quick reference of some of the more common herbs and their specific benefits for chickens:

 

• Basil - antibacterial, mucus membrane health, repels flies and mosquitoes, high in protein and calcium
• Bay Leaves - antiseptic, antioxidant, immune system booster, insect repellent
• Bee Balm - (bergamot/monarda)- antiseptic, antibacterial, respiratory health, calming
• Borage - high in calcium, betacarotenes and niacin, soothing, supports cardiovascular health, antioxidant, mucus membrane health, helps keep bugs out of the garden
• Calendula - heals wounds
• Catnip - sedative, insect repellent
• Cayenne pepper - aids circulation, appetite stimulant, antiseptic, digestive enhancement
• Chamomile - kills mites and lice,  repels fleas, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, calming, relaxant, detoxifier   
• Chervil - heals bruises, thought to prevent illness
• Chives - aid digestion, stimulates appetite, good source of iron
• Cilantro - antioxidant, fungicide, builds strong bones, high in Vitamin A for vision and Vitamin K for blood clotting
• Cinnamon - promotes healthy breathing
• Comfrey - pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, heals wounds, promotes muscle, cartilage, and bone growth. Not to be taken internally, but instead used as a poultice or applied externally.
• Dandelion - antioxidant, digestive aid, vitamin-rich, high in calcium
• Dill - antioxidant, relaxant, respiratory health, stimulates the appetite, high in protein
• Echinacea antibacterial, aids in respiratory health and strengthens the immune system, treats wounds, combats staph infections
• Fennel - laying stimulant, insect repellent
• Garlic - laying stimulant, anti-fungal, benefits circulatory and respiratory system, relieves diarrhea
• Ginger - stress reducer (don't laugh, chickens have stress in their lives too at times!), appetite stimulant, anti-oxidant
• Goldenseal - Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, useful for treating wounds
• Hyssop - improves circulation, heals wounds, detoxifier
•  Lavender - stress reliever, increases blood circulation, anti-inflammatory, highly aromatic, insect repellent, improves digestion, antibacterial, antifungal, combats staph infections
• Lemon Balm - stress reliever, antibacterial, antiviral, highly aromatic, rodent and insect repellent, calming
• Lemon Verbena - aromatic, fly repellent, antiviral properties
• Lemon Grass (citronella) - fly repellent
• Lovage - aids respiratory and mucus membrane health, blood detoxifier, anti-inflammatory
• Marigold - vibrant egg yolks, feet and beaks/bills, insect repellent, antioxidant
• Marjoram - laying stimulant, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, improves blood circulation, detoxifier, high in protein and calcium
• Mint (all kinds) - insecticide and rodent repellent, antioxidant, aids in respiratory health, digestive aid, lowers body temperature naturally. Feeding results in larger eggs, thicker eggshells and increased egg production. 
• Nasturtium - laying stimulant, antiseptic, antibiotic, insecticide, wormer
• Oregano - combats coccidia, salmonella, infectious bronchitis, avian flue, blackhead and e-coli, strengthens immune system
• Parsley - high in vitamins A, B,C calcium and iron, aids in blood vessel development, laying stimulant
• Peppermint - anti-parasitic, insect repellent
• Pineapple Sage - aids nervous system, highly aromatic, antiseptic
• Plantain - Antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Prevents infection.
• Raspberry Leaf - antioxidant, relaxant, supports healthy reproductive system.
• Rose Petals - highly aromatic, high in Vitamin A, B, C and D, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, detoxifier, good for heart and digestive health, help clear up diarrhea, calming
• Rosemary - pain reliever, respiratory health, insect repellent
• Sage - antioxidant, anti-parasitic, general health promoter, thought to combat Salmonella and staph infections
• Spearmint - antiseptic, insect repellent, stimulates nerve, brain and blood functions
• Tarragon - antioxidant, appetite stimulant
• Thyme - aids in respiratory health, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antioxidant, anti-parasitic, stimulant, combats staph infections
• Yarrow - antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, clears sinuses and respiratory systems, stress reliever

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!