If you’ve ever aspired to raise your homestead flock naturally, then I am sure you have contemplated all the variety of useful ways you can use herbs on the homestead for your flock. However, there are several different types of herbs for the homestead flock. Each type of herb has its specialty and will work the most effectively when used under the proper circumstances. To make things even more confusing, different herbs can be turned into several different types depending on how you want to use the herb! But don’t worry, I tried to simplify things as much as possible and outline just how you can use the different types of herbs to keep your homestead flock healthy…naturally!
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Why Use Herbs?
Well… why not use herbs? You more than likely already have herbs growing in your homestead garden (no matter how big or small the garden is) so it only makes sense that both you and your flock can benefit from those herbs! Medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years by people groups all over the world. Plants, specifically herbs, have amazing healing powers, and as a homesteader, I feel like I just dapple in all the wonderful possibilities that herbs provide!
Using herbs with your homestead flock should be based off of some basic herbal principles and common sense. As you experiment with herbs and your flock, you will learn which herbs help you achieve the best health in your flock. Knowing about the different types of herbs and how to best use them will further broaden your herbal knowledge and help you use herbs to their best potential.
I use herbs with my homestead flock for these reasons:
- Herbs help my flock stay healthy on a regular basis. A healthy flock produces well and is low maintenance!
- Herbal remedies can provide healing and medicinal value that may help cure or alleviate flock ailments.
- I use mild herbs on a regular basis to provide added vitamins, minerals, and health benefits to the flock’s diet.
- I use herbs as a parasite and pest preventative, both for internal and external parasites and for repelling chicken coop pests!
- Growing herbs is a great way to grow in your modern pioneer journey and herb plants are a staple in the homestead garden! By growing herbs in your garden, they make for a convenient way to maintain the health of your flock.
- Herbs provide a way for you to naturally and sustainably keep your homestead flock healthy. They are healthy and safe for both you and your flock.
Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are herbs that you pick or trim straight from your garden! These are fresh-off-the-plant trimmings that are nutrient dense and pack a powerful punch as far as medicinal benefits go!
If you are between growing seasons and really need to get some fresh herbs, they are often sold at health food markets. However, even though they are marketed as fresh herbs, they aren’t as fresh as homegrown herbs. They had to be in the packing for at least a few days!
Examples:
Basically, any herb you grow in your homestead garden is an example of a fresh herb! Here are some popular herbs to grow for chickens:
- Supplements– dill, parsley, sage oregano
- Boost Egg Production- marjoram, nasturtium, parsley, calendula, sage, marigolds
- For Chicks– basil, parsley, dandelion, cilantro
- Respiratory Health- thyme, echinacea, rosemary
- Nesting Box Herbs– lavender, mint, lemon balm
- Immune Boosters– astragalus, oregano, garlic,
- First Aid Herbs– calendula, chamomile, plantain, yarrow
When to Use:
- Fresh herbs are great to use in homemade or DIY herbal recipes such as ointments, salves, sprays, teas, tonics, tinctures, and decoctions.
- Add chopped pieces of fresh herbs to your flock’s drinking water on occasion. The cut leaves will infuse into the water and provide some benefits for your flock!
- Sprinkle chopped fresh herbs on any treats or table scraps you offer your flock!
- Place bundles of fresh herbs around the chicken coop to make for a pleasant aroma and to act as a pest repellant.
- Fresh herbs that promote healing are great for applying topically to cuts, wounds, or other external issues.
- Use fresh herbs as a topper for fermented feed!
- Fresh herbs are perfect for providing free-choice to allow your flock to nibble on the herbs as they choose.
What about adding fresh herbs to your flock’s daily feed? I don’t recommend it for several reasons. For one, herbs that are chopped often get lost or sifted to the bottom and then ditched out by the hens. For two, I like to provide herbs either free-choice or no-choice. Meaning, the flock can avoid the chopped herbs on their treats if they want to, but they can’t avoid the herbal infused water that I provide. Free-choice or with a purpose is how I like to use fresh herbs with my flock.
Dried Herbs
Dried herbs are the dried version of any fresh herb. Herbs in this form are more concentrated. Some herbs are more potent when they are dried while others are best used when they are fresh. Just about any herb can be dried, which makes it easier for preserving herbs for use during the non-growing season.
Dried herbs are less appealing to chickens since they lack the color and fat, juicy appeal of a fresh herb leaf. However, dried herbs do come in handy for the homestead flock!
Examples:
Some herbs are actually easier to use when they have been dried. Here are a few herbs that are especially helpful for the homestead flock when they are in their dried form:
- lavender– place dried bundles in the nesting boxes
- dill– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- parsley– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- basil– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- cilantro– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- lemon balm– place dried bundles in the nesting boxes
- mint– crush dried mint in the coop to repel pests and create a pleasant aroma
- rosemary– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- thyme– use as a treat topper or fermented feed topper
- elderberries– make elderberry syrup with the dried berries and serve the leftover berries to your flock
When to Use:
- Dried herbs are great to use during the winter if you don’t bring in your herb plants to last out the cold winter months.
- Sprinkle dried herbs over healthy winter time treats to give your flock an extra boost of nutrition, vitamins, and minerals during the boring winter months.
- Dried herbs also make a great fermented feed topper during the winter!
- Some homemade recipes work best with dried herbs! You can easily make herbal teas and infusions using dried herbs.
- Hang bundles of dried herbs around the coop and place them in the nesting boxes during the winter months.
Again, I don’t often add dried herbs to my flock’s daily feed because the herbs would get lost and beaked out before the hens actually consider consuming the dried particles. Plus, dried herbs are typically not too enticing for chickens to consume.
Powdered Herbs
Powdered herbs are herbs that come in a powder form. Often times the roots, bark, or woody stems of herbs are dried and turned into a powder to make them easier to use and more palatable. Herbs in their powder form are also very concentrated, so it requires less herb powder to get amazing benefits than if you were to use the fresh version of the herb.
Herb powders are often not too appealing for a chicken to freely consume, however, they are great for mixing up specific concoctions or using for specific medicinal purposes.
Examples:
Some powdered herbs we may not even think of as herbs, but they are! Here is a list of some common herb powders that I keep stocked on the homestead:
- turmeric root– great fermented feed or treat topper
- ground ginger root– a perfect treat or fermented feed topper to use during the winter
- ground cinnamon– another great powdered herb to use during the winter
- ashwagandha root– great for promoting overall good health
- ground cloves– great fermented feed or treat topper
- cayenne pepper powder– use sparingly, but is a great digestive and circulation stimulant
- astragalus powder– great for promoting overall health and treating respiratory issues or bacterial and viral diseases
- garlic powder– an amazing herb to use for maintaining a healthy flock on a regular basis
When to Use:
- Powdered herbs can be sprinkled over fermented feed or treats and fed to your flock to help promote overall good health.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon or ground ginger root over oats or fermented feed for a healthy winter time treat.
- Use powdered herbs when you want to use a specific dosage for a specific reason. Such as using astragalus powder to help improve an ailing chicken’s condition. Use a specific amount mixed into food or water for the chicken to consume.
Edible Herbs & Flowers
Edible herbs may seem like the same thing as fresh herbs, and technically they are. However, when I think of edible herbs I tend to think of berries, fruits, or flowers from an herb plant. Edible herbs can provide some amazing benefits for the homestead flock!
Since edible herbs tend to look more appealing, they are often readily consumed by the flock and you may even have to limit how much of an edible herb your flock consumes at one time!
Examples:
Most culinary herbs can be considered edible herbs since they are safe for internal consumption, however, there are also some fruits, berries, and flowers that could be considered edible herbs! Here’s a quick list:
- elderberries, dried
- rose hips
- daisy flowers
- nasturtium
- echinacea
- salvia
- violet
- yarrow
- marigolds
- raspberries and raspberry leaves
- culinary herbs- basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, cilantro, oregano, tarragon, bay leaf, sage, chives, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic
When to Use:
- You can make supplement recipes or herbal product recipes with edible herbs!
- Offer certain edible herbs as a healthy treat for your flock to enjoy in moderation.
- Edible flowers make for a great fermented feed topper or treat topper!
- Add edible herbs to your flock’s water for a beneficial water infusion.
- You can use certain edible herbs in specific quantities to achieve certain healing purposes.
- Many edible flowers can be fed to hens to improve yolk color and nutrition!
Herbal Infusions & Decoctions
Don’t let the words ‘infusion’ and ‘decoction’ scare you! These are basically teas that you can make with herbs. Decoctions and infusions are water based herbal supplements that you can give to the homestead flock. These supplements often provide the most benefits when your flock consumes them within 12 hours after you prepare them.
A decoction is made from herbs that are boiled down in water. The boiling helps the herbs release all their beneficial properties. Often times the roots, bark, dried berries, or woody stems of herbs are used to make decoctions.
An infusion is made from steeping herbs in boiling water for a certain period of time. The herbs used to make infusions are often more fragile and less dense, such as the leaves and flowers of herbs. Steeping them for a short period of time (usually 5-10 minutes) helps extract all the beneficial oils and nutrients from the herbs.
Examples:
- respiratory infusion– peppermint, clove, ginger, thyme
- general health infusion- nettles, dandelion, cinnamon
- garlic infusion– crushed garlic
- winter time infusion– ginger, cinnamon, turmeric
- anti-inflammatory infusion– turmeric, ginger, mint
- summer time infusion– peppermint, ginger
- elderberry decoction– dried elderberries, honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves
- winter time decoction– cinnamon sticks, ginger root
When to Use:
- Use specific infusions to help during certain times to achieve desired results.
- Making infusions and decoctions requires a basic knowledge of the benefits of each type of herb. Select the right herbs for the situation to make an infusion or decoction with.
- Use a general health infusion or garlic infusion as a weekly supplement for supporting overall good health.
- Serve infusions straight for your flock to drink or add some to your flock’s water for some diluted benefits.
- Decoctions can also be used straight or they can be diluted in your flock’s water.
Herbal Ointments & Salves
Herbal ointments, salves and poultices come in handy for treating a variety of external issues that the homestead flock can experience. From cuts and scraps to frostbite or scaly leg mites, herbal ointments, salves, and poultices provide a natural way for you to administer first aid to your chickens!
Most salves are made using beeswax and herbal infused oils. Salves work great for applying to cuts, scraps, bruises, and frostbite. You can also use salves to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
Herbal ointments are made using oils that remain solid at room temperature, like coconut oil. Herbal infused oils and essential oils are used to provide the healing benefits. There are many kinds of ointments you can make for the homestead flock including anti-bacterial ointment, anti-inflammatory ointment, and dry skin ointment.
An herbal poultice is simply a thick herbal paste that can be applied to skin or injury. Both fresh or dried herbs can be used to make a poultice.
Examples:
- base salve ingredients– beeswax & coconut oil
- wound salve- bentonite clay, activated charcoal, calendula, plantain
- respiratory salve- peppermint, basil, rosemary
- base ointment ingredients– coconut oil, honey, vitamin E
- wound ointment– calendula, oregano
When to Use:
- Use salves and ointments on as-needed basis.
- Wound salves and ointments can be applied to cuts, scraps, irritations, and other external injuries to encourage healing and prevent against infection.
- Salves and ointments can also be used to soothe swellings and inflammation.
- A beeswax based salve can be made to help prevent and/or treat frostbite during the winter.
- Anti-bacterial herbs would make a great ointment to apply to bumblefoot problems.
- A simple salve or ointment made with pest repelling herbs can help treat scaly leg mites.
Herbal Sprays
Herbal sprays are great to have on hand for raising the homestead flock naturally! Sprays are easy to make using natural ingredients. I love making my own herbal sprays at home instead of buying chemical-based sprays.
Examples:
- coop cleaner– vinegar, oregano, clove, sage, tea tree, lemon
- parasite spray– garlic, lavender, peppermint
- lemon cleaner– vinegar, lemon peel
- pest repellant– vinegar or water, peppermint
When to Use:
- Use a basic cleaning spray to clean the chicken coop with or to sanitize any poultry equipment with.
- Parasite sprays can be applied as a monthly preventative to ward off external parasites like mites and lice. The spray can be applied to the vent area and under the wings.
- Pest repellant sprays can be sprayed liberally around and in the coop to help repel pests like mice or flies.
Herbal Tinctures & Tonics
Tonics and tinctures are some of my favorite herbal remedies to use for medicinal and healing purposes! These supplements are created to provide maximum benefits for a specific purpose. Herbal tonics and tinctures can be used as stand-alone natural medicines that are powerful and potent.
Herbal tinctures are made by extracting all of the beneficial properties from an herb by macerating it in alcohol. This extraction process usually takes about 4-6 weeks for a strong tincture to be made. Herbal tinctures should be stored in dark-colored glass bottles in a cool, place. Stored under those conditions, tinctures will last for several years!
A tonic is kind of like the bridge between a tincture and decoction. A tonic is created by combining carefully selected herbs and medicinal plants to create a boiled down mixture that provides maximum benefits. There is no alcohol involved, however, other base ingredients give the tonic some sustenance rather than just water.
Examples:
- tonic base ingredients– apples, honey, garlic
- worming tonic– garlic, wormwood, mugwort, carrot, clove black walnut, thyme, stinging nettle
- general health tonic– turmeric, ginger
- tincture base ingredients– vodka or apple cider vinegar
- respiratory tincture– echinacea, astragalus, plantain
When to Use:
- Tonics and tinctures should be used for specific conditions as a direct treatment.
- A worming tonic can be used during the spring and fall to help treat or prevent internal parasites.
- A general health tonic can be offered periodically (once a week) to promote overall good health.
- Make up specific tonics or tinctures to treat specific ailments. You can use a tonic or tincture for up to 7-10 days in a row, then take a break.
- For tonics, general dosage would be 2-3 tablespoons of tonic per gallon of water.
- For tinctures, a general dosage would be 1 drop per pound of body weight. A maximum dosage in one day would be 30 drops.
- Tonics and tinctures can be helpful for fighting bacterial diseases, viruses, respiratory problems, and maintaining good health during weather changes or times of stress.
Knowing about the different types of herbs and how you can best use them for your homestead flock is a great way to raise your chickens naturally! These different types of herbs for the homestead flock provide you with endless options for treating poultry ailments, maintaining flock health, preventing disease, and repelling pests. From fresh herbs straight from your homestead garden to herbal tonics and tinctures, using each herb to it’s best potential will provide the healthiest and safest results for your homestead flock! Good herbal practices on the homestead will keep your flock healthy and productive…naturally!
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by Alexa
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