Benefits of Cinnamon for Chickens
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | April 2, 2024
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Cinnamon may seem like an ordinary spice since it is so widely used in baking, cooking, and flavoring foods. However, this ordinary spice has been used for its medicinal properties long before it gained popularity as a ‘flavor’. Cinnamon is a staple in my homestead pantry… but its not just for using in recipes. Cinnamon is also beneficial for the homestead flock! Chickens can benefit from the holistic properties of cinnamon just like we can. Let’s take a look at how you can use cinnamon to keep your homestead flock healthy!
Is Cinnamon Safe for Chickens?
Yes, cinnamon is safe for chickens to eat. However, as with all holistic supplements (herbs, spices, etc..), it must be used in moderation. We enjoy cinnamon for the sweet, warm flavor it adds to our foods, but chickens may not even be able to taste the ‘flavor’ of cinnamon since they have fewer taste receptors than we do. However, cinnamon is still beneficial for chickens even if they can’t enjoy its flavor!
Cinnamon comes from the Cinnamomum tree, which is native to southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and South America. Cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and cinnamon oil are all derived from the bark and leaves of the tree. The barks of the Cinnamomum tree contains the powerful herbal properties that make the cinnamon spice so beneficial.
Cinnamon has historically been used to treat respiratory issues, sore throats, and inflammation related ailments, such as arthritis. It even ranks as one of the most beneficial herbs and spices worldwide!
Side Affects of Cinnamon for Chickens
Such a powerful spice does not come without its own warnings. Cinnamon contains coumarin. Coumarin is a chemical compound that can be toxic when consumed in large amounts. It is the compound that gives cinnamon its sweet taste and fragrant smell. However, it can lead to liver damage and other short-term side affects (diarrhea, decreased feed intake, etc…) when consumed in large quantities.
But before you ditch cinnamon altogether because of coumarin… understand that different types of cinnamon are higher in coumarin than others. Small quantities of coumarin can also provide benefits such as anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Coumarin is similar to the allicin compound found in garlic (another supplement staple for the homestead flock). Allicin is another compound that can be toxic in large amounts, yet, garlic is a staple supplement for raising a healthy homestead flock.
In fact, coumarin is also contained in other foods that you may feed your flock, including:
- strawberries
- celery
- honey
- carrots
- sweet clover
While coumarin can be toxic in large amounts, foods that contain coumarin can be a part of a flock’s balanced diet and not cause any harm. Balance and moderation are the key, so we will discuss proper cinnamon dosages for chickens in a moment.
Types of Cinnamon
There are several different types of cinnamon that are derived from different species of the Cinnamomm tree. Each type of cinnamon has a slightly different flavor profile and varying levels of coumarin. Here are the four most common types of cinnamon:
- true cinnamon/ceylon cinnamon/Mexican cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
- Indonesian cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmanni)
- Vietnamese cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi)
- cassia cinnamon/Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) spicy & bitter, highest coumarin content
True cinnamon, or ceylon cinnamon, is the most popular cinnamon variety to use in cooking and baking. It has a slightly sweet flavor and is the cinnamon with the lowest coumarin content. Both Indonesian cinnamon and Vietnamese cinnamon have a more spicy flavor and are higher in coumarin. Chinese cinnamon, or cassia cinnamon, has a spicy and slightly bitter flavor. It has the highest levels of coumarin and should be used with the most caution.
When buying cinnamon for chickens, look for Cinnamomum zeylanicum, which may be labeled as true cinnamon, ceylon cinnamon, cinnamon verum, or Mexican cinnamon.
Benefits of Cinnamon for Chickens
Cinnamon has many powerful compounds that make it a beneficial supplement for chickens. Biactive compounds such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and eugenol, provide the powerhouse properties of cinnamon as a holistic remedy. Here are some of the main benefits cinnamon can provide when fed to chickens:
- extremely rich in antioxidants
- antiviral
- naturally anti-inflammatory
- promotes good circulation
- antiparasitic
- naturally warming
- antifungal
- antibacterial
Antioxidants & Anti-Inflammatory:
Antioxidants are widely known for boosting the immune system by fighting free radicals in the body. Free radicals can cause cell damage and make chickens more susceptible to disease, parasites, and infections. Strong immune systems are the key to a healthy flock. Chickens who have strong immune systems will be able to ward off, and even build immunity to, common pathogens in the environment.
Antioxidants also help reduce inflammation. Cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory properties are especially helpful when treating respiratory distress in chickens, which is commonly caused by inflammation in the airways. Anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the symptoms of any inflammation-induced ailment, including arthritis for older chickens!
Antiviral, Antibacterial, & Antifungal:
Cinnamon covers all the bases… it helps prevent viral infections, bacterial diseases, and fungal ailments. When is comes to chicken diseases, this can include diseases such as E. coli, salmonella, Marek’s disease, coccidiosis, and Newcastle virus. Cinnamon also contains antiparasitic properties which can help control internal parasites when paired with other antiparasitic supplements. Cinnamon oil, which has highly concentrated benefits, can even help address external parasite infestations.
Cinnamaldehyde is one of the main compounds found in cinnamon that provides the antibacterial and infection fighting properties of the spice.
Wintertime Supplement:
Cinnamon can be used as a natural supplement for your flock all year round, but it is an especially helpful herb during the winter months. If you live in a region that experiences severe, cold winter weather… then cinnamon is certainly a spice you should have in your chicken supplement stash!
Cinnamon has herbal warming and drying properties. That means, when it is consumed, it produces a warming and drying response in the body. This can be helpful during the winter months when chickens need to expend extra energy to stay warm. Cinnamon encourages good circulation, which can help prevent frostbite during the winter as well.
Cinnamon also aids the digestive system. It encourages a good population of beneficial gut bacteria which help break down and digest foods. The better a chicken’s digestive system is working, the more nutrition it will be able to receive from its feed.
How to Feed Cinnamon to Chickens
Chickens will more than likely not be attracted to pecking at a free-choice bowl of cinnamon supplement. In fact, cinnamon is one supplement that is best NOT offered as free-choice. Since there is no evidence that chickens can actually taste cinnamon, they are more likely to overconsume cinnamon or not consume enough for it to beneficial. Instead, supplement your flock’s diet intentionally with cinnamon to ensure they get the full range of benefits that cinnamon has to offer for the homestead flock.
Cinnamon comes in several different forms, including cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and cinnamon oil. Here are some ways you can incorporate each type of cinnamon into your flock’s diet:
- cinnamon bark/sticks– Make into a tea or add to elderberry syrup.
- ground cinnamon– Mix into feed or use as a fermented feed/treat topper.
- cinnamon oil– Mix into dry feed or fermented feed.
Keep in mind you shouldn’t use all three types of cinnamon all at once. If you only have ground cinnamon on hand, that’s fine, you don’t need all three! If you don’t have ground cinnamon but you do have some cinnamon sticks, you can make those into a tea or syrup for your flock instead of using ground cinnamon.
Cinnamon oil is highly concentrated cinnamon, which means both the beneficial compounds and the coumarin content will be more highly concentrated. Use cinnamon oil with moderation.
How Much Cinnamon is Safe for Chickens?
Before you start adding cinnamon into your flock’s diet, let’s discuss how much cinnamon is safe for chickens. These cinnamon dosage recommendations are based on ceylon cinnamon (true or Mexican cinnamon). Other types of cinnamon should be used with caution since they are higher in coumarin.
For general supplementation and health benefits, here are the recommended daily dosages of ground cinnamon for chickens of different ages and sizes:
Daily Ground Cinnamon Recommended Dosages
- chicks (0-8 weeks)– 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- growing chickens (8-16 weeks) & bantams– 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- adult chickens (18+ weeks)– 1 tsp. cinnamon
If you are using cinnamon to treat a specific ailment or condition, use the guideline of 2 tsp. of cinnamon per 2 lbs. of body weight, supplemented up to 2x a week.
As with any natural supplement, don’t offer the supplement more than necessary. For general health, give your flock cinnamon once a week at most. If you are using cinnamon to treat a condition, supplement with cinnamon for no longer than 10 days, then take a break.
You will more than likely not be administering ground cinnamon by the teaspoon to each member of the homestead flock. Instead, you can mix cinnamon into your flock’s daily feed or use it as a fermented feed and treat topper. Here are some dosage guidelines when mixing cinnamon into your flock’s feed or adding it to treats:
Cinnamon Dosage Recommendations
- ground cinnamon (dry feed): 1/2-1 tsp. per pound of feed
- ground cinnamon (feed/treat topper): 1/2 tsp. per 1 c. of treat
- cinnamon oil (diluted 50/50 w/ coconut/olive oil): 5-10 drops per pound of dry feed
- cinnamon sticks: offer free-choice for chickens to peck at
Another easy way to use cinnamon as a natural supplement for your flock is to make it into a syrup. Elderberry syrup is an easy, holistic supplement to make that combines the benefits of both cinnamon and elderberries for chickens.
Cinnamon is not only a useful spice to have in the homestead pantry, but it is also helpful for keeping a healthy homestead flock! I like to add cinnamon to my flock’s fermented feed or to warm treats during the winter. Whenever I give my chickens the leftover elderberries from making elderberry syrup, the berries are infused with cinnamon and the flock gets the leftover cinnamon sticks to peck at too. Use cinnamon as a natural supplement to help boost your flock’s immunity and keep them productive!
Don’t miss any other tips for raising a healthy homestead flock naturally… join our modern pioneer newsletter community! We are all about raising your flocks as naturally and sustainably as possible!
Sources: Cinnamon: Mystic powers of a minute ingredient – PMC (nih.gov)
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