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Coming up with the best diet for your specific chickens sometimes requires trial and error, but one thing is certain: one of the best snacks for chickens is herbs.
Not all herbs are appropriate for chickens, so Chickens for Backyards has created a guide on which herbs are best.
Mint
Who doesn’t love some fresh mint? Chickens do! Adding fresh mint to your chickens’ daily water supply is beneficial for lowering body temperatures on those hot summer days. Furthermore, its scent is a great insect and rodent repellent so let it grow.
Thankfully, mint is also incredibly easy to grow, so it won’t take much for some to start sprouting up in your backyard. Not only will your chickens enjoy the taste, but they’ll also enjoy the smell. There’s a reason the scent of mint is so calming and de-stressing, after all!
Parsley
Turns out we’re not the only ones who enjoy parsley. Parsley is packed with vitamins for chickens, is good for blood circulation, and can help with their egg-laying. All pluses! The way to feed it to them is crushed, and then added to their feed. And if you have some parsley left over, then consider adding it to your own diet as well.
Oregano
Oregano is likely already in your pantry. Oregano, like parsley, has a ton of vitamins for chickens, and helps with immune-system development. In fact, it’s currently being studied as a deterrent against bacteria like salmonella! Simply chop up some oregano leaves and add it to your flock’s feed.
It’s easy to grow, but it’s a perennial, so it won’t grow as much as mint will. Thankfully, though, your oregano plant will grow larger and larger each year.
Cilantro
Turns out, chickens can taste cilantro like us! And it goes a long way in developing strong bones, and vision. You can add cilantro to their feed, or you can even hang cilantro for your chickens to snack on throughout the day. If you plan to hang them, just make sure they’re spread out so your chickens don’t crowd around each other, trying to eat the cilantro at the same time.
Rosemary
If your chicken is going through pain for whatever the reason, rosemary is a proven pain reliever for poultry. And like mint, it keeps the bugs away. So even just having it around will keep your chickens happy.
Now that you have these herbs in mind, you’ll be well on your way to developing a happy, healthy diet for your chickens. Looking to add chickens to your flock? Contact Chickens for Backyards!
