Keeping backyard chickens is similar to raising children - there are lots of different ways to do it, and most folks do things just a tad different than the rest. Here at Black Bear Farm - we of course use organic food and chicken scratch, the hens are free to range all day eating grass and bugs, and we also use natural spices and herbs to help aid in certain areas. Here are a list of the herbs we use on our farm, and why we use them. They are all easily accessible, and you can usually find them in bulk on Amazon (hello, money saver)!
1. Lavender
We use lavender in the nesting boxes in our coop. Lavender is a natural stress reliever, which helps with laying hens. Its also known to increase blood flow and aid in circulation. Lavender also acts as an insecticide to help keep critters away...and it also smells nice!
2. Rosemary
We use rosemary alongside lavender in the nesting boxes but also spread any extra we have from cooking, around their chicken yard for them to peck on and eat. Much like lavender, Rosemary acts as a great insect repellent, and smells nice in the nesting boxes, but it also improves the respitory health of our flock.
3. Oregano
Oregano is so awesome! It acts as a natural antibiotic, helping to keep our girls nice and healthy, but it's also rich in vitamins A, K, and antioxidants and high is calcium - good for strong egg shells! We feed sprinkle fresh oregano around the chicken yard and also mix dried oregano in their feed (1 tsp daily).
4. Sage
Sage is also rich in vitamins and antioxidants and we feed it just the same as oregano - we sprinkle it in the yard and also mix dried same into their feed (1 tsp daily).
5. Mint
Mint is one of my favs. It's scent is very strong, and repels lots of rodents. We put mint leaves in and around the coop/nesting boxes. Some chicken keepers plant mint around their run/coop to help keep critters away. Mine eat it all! Other than rodent repellant, mint also encourages feather production in birds and naturally helps lower body temperature. We like to put mint leaves in ice cube trays and freeze them, then give to the flock to snack on. Not only are the girls getting a cool treat, but they eat the mint leaves and internally cool themselves. This Texas heat is brutal so any tricks to help keep everyone cool is a win in my book!
6. Parsley
Parsley isn't just a garnish around here! Parsley contains vitamins A, B, C, E and K. It's also a great source for calcium (egg shells), iron, magnesium and zinc! We give this to our older hens who are laying because it stimulates egg laying. We don't feed to our chicks until they are a few months old. We sprinkle fresh parsley in their yard to munch on, and also mix dried parsley in their feed (1 tsp daily).
*We also mix in garlic powder and cayenne pepper once a week (1 tsp) as a laying stimulant, and to aid in circulation.
**We also mix in flax seed and and chai seeds in our flocks feed daily - they aid in layer development and give our birds (and their eggs) a healthier fat profile.
What do y'all feed your flock? Have you noticed adding herbs and spices have helped your backyard chickens? We would love to hear what you do!