Did you know that growing your own herbs is fairly easy to do and can be an added health benefit to both you and your flock of chickens? Herbs grow well in both containers and directly in the ground. Most herbs don’t require a lot of water, so if you forget to water them a day or two, they won’t necessarily die off.
I love to cook with fresh herbs so I grow some in containers on my porch, making for easy access. Culinary herbs are safe to use around chickens. Toss a variety of herbs in with their regular food and they will thank you for the treat. Plant some herbs around your chicken yard or coop to help repel insects and rodents. Aromatic herbs may even help relieve stress in your flock.
Here are a few of my favorite herbs:
LAVENDER
Lavender is mainly known as an aromatic stress reliever, but it is also an insect repellent. This year I planted lavender near my chicken run. As you can see in the picture, it is just starting to flower. I look forward to seeing and smelling the lavender as I tend to the chickens daily. This herb is definitely one that I like having near the coop.
PARSLEY
Parsley is a favorite culinary herb that I use frequently because of it’s flavor. Parsley is full of health benefits such as vitamins, calcium, and iron. It is believed that parsley may help to stimulate egg laying in poultry. Yes please!
BASIL
To me basil and fresh garden tomatoes go hand in hand, making this another favorite herb of mine. Basil is aromatic and helps to repel flies and mosquitoes, making it a great herb to use around your coop and chicken yard. In this picture you can see that I planted basil and parsley together. I can’t say that this aroma lulls me to sleep, but it is a favorite nap spot for our cat.
MINT
There are many varieties of mint. A few that I have grown are peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate mint. Mint is an herb that I like to plant in containers because it tends to spread and can overtake nearby plants.
This year I planted lemon balm (which is in the mint family). I enjoy having some type of mint on the porch so I can quickly grab some to add to a glass of ice water or tea. Mint is also aromatic and helps to repel insects, which is why I have it perched next to my porch swing. Mint also helps to repel rodents, making it a great choice to plant near your chicken coop.
These are some of my favorite herbs to use for myself and for my flock. What is your favorite?
3 Comments
This is new to me.sounds great .will start using herbs on my chickens.love it.
We grow several herbs and each evening when we put up the girls we throw some snipped basil, thyme and oregano into their nests. We love the way it smells-it freshens up the coop. We noticed that the flies seem to hate it so that is a bonus as well. The girls seem to like the herbs as there are never any “leftovers”. We also have ducks and they love the herbs too, a handful thrown into their water is eaten right away…
Oregano…add it to their water on occasion for its germ killing capabilities and harvest and just put it in the pen. Also, puported to repel rodents.,