6 Herbs I Grow for My Chickens

Last Updated on March 25, 2024 by Michelle

I’m growing 6 herbs for my chickens this year. Well, before you think I’m a crazy chicken lady, I should explain…

I’m all about dual-purpose, so these 6 herbs are ones I would be growing for our family even if I didn’t have chickens.

But I love it that these herbs serve both my family and the chickens very well.

If you’d rather listen than read, I got ya covered, with my latest podcast episode:

How I Use Herbs for My Chickens

While you can simply feed these herbs to your chicken, my hens are kinda odd. They don’t really eat the things I hear other chickens devour. I assume it’s because they’re free-ranging hens who have their run of the property, from sun up until sun down.

I love that they can free range because it makes a huge difference in our flea and tick population, plus it’s fun to see them meandering up to the back kitchen door many times a day to visit me beg for kitchen scraps.

My guess is because they have all the grass, and clover, and bugs, and worms you can imagine at their disposal, a plate of greens doesn’t do much for them.

But I will dry my herbs and crush them into the chicken food in the winter. A little dried herbs sprinkled over their same-old-same-old layer pellets makes for some very happy hens on a cold February day.

Even so, they seem to love it the most when I put fresh herbs in their laying boxes to spruce up the place. Anything that will keep them happily returning to their boxes, instead of hiding their efforts in a big hide-and-go-seek game around the farm, is a great win in my book.

6 Herbs I Grow for My Chicken

So today I thought I’d list out the 6 herbs I’m growing this year that both my family and my chicken seem to enjoy, to give you an idea of some great herbs to feed your chickens or leave scattered in their coop and nesting boxes.

Then below my current list, I’ve included an even more complete list of poultry-happy herbs. So keep scrolling.

Using MINT for chickens & using MINT in the kitchen

Mint in the kitchen

Mint is such a useful, versatile herb. If you’re only going to grow one, mint is the one I recommend. My favorite ways to use mint, both freshly picked and dried, is to make a soothing, delicious cup of warm tea and to flavor my second ferment of kombucha. While mint is great as a stand-alone kombucha flavor, it’s even better paired with a favorite fruit, from strawberry to blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and beyond.

If you’d like to know more about how to make your own probiotic, gut-healthy, carbonated, delicious kombucha, here’s my library of articles about kombucha, and here’s more information about my course, Simple DIY Kombucha.

Mint for chickens

Just like it does for us, mint can calm a chicken’s stomach if they’re not feeling too great. It also may offer a calming, de-stressing effect for hens, making it a great addition to nesting boxes and even dust bathing areas.

Using OREGANO for chickens & using OREGANO in the kitchen

Oregano in the kitchen

Family pizza night and homemade pizza wouldn’t be quite the same without crushing some of our home-grown oregano into the sauce. But we also love it on roasted veggies and over roasted chicken and potatoes.

Oregano for chickens

Oregano strengthens a hen’s immune system, and folks even argue it fights against common poultry illnesses such as salmonella, infectious bronchitis, avian flu, and e-coli. Now that’s an herb that really knows its way around a chicken’s health.

Using LAVENDER for chickens & using LAVENDER in the kitchen

Lavender in the kitchen

While my favorite thing to do with lavender has nothing to do with the kitchen, I do use it there too. (My favorite use, btw, is to lay a bundle of dried lavender in my drawers and enjoy the wonderful smell when I put on a shirt or socks I’ve pulled out of those drawers.)

Lavender is a key ingredient in one of my favorite DIY Kombucha options: Lemon Lavender. Mmmmm. And lavender sugar is truly delicious to use in any way you use sugar.

Go here for full directions for making floral sugar.

Lavender for chickens

Just as the calming, soothing effects that the smell of lavender brings to us when we get a whiff of it, it has the same impact on a chicken. Which is extra nice if she’s in the daily stressful situation of laying an egg. So this is my favorite herb to line their nesting boxes with.

Using NASTURTIUM for chickens & using NASTURTIUM in the kitchen

Nasturtium in the kitchen

This year is my first ever to grow nasturtium, so I’ll have to keep you posted on how I like using this herb. I’ve been told that both the leaves and the bloom have a distinctly peppery flavor, so I’m intrigued to try adding them to soups, Kung Pao Chicken, vinaigrettes, and tossed salads.

I planted the nasturtium for one purpose only this year. I’m using it as one of many weapons against the dreaded squash beetle that made my blood boil and devastated my squash last year. But I love it that it is useful for both my kitchen and my chicken coop as well.

Nasturtium for chickens

I’m told that chicken enjoy eating both the leaves and the flowers of the nasturtium, which are good for the hens because they are naturally antibiotic. We’ll see if my chickens choose to snack on them (if not that’s okay, it leaves more for my salad).

Using BASIL for chickens & using BASIL in the kitchen

Basil in the kitchen

Pesto. Scrambled eggs with basil, chives, and everything bagel seasoning. And all things Italian.

Then there’s the Strawberry Basil Kombucha. (Just add 1/4 cup frozen, cut-up strawberries & 1 TB chopped fresh basil to your 1/2 gallon second ferment.) Need I say more?

Hop over here for all the recipes for my family’s favorite DIY Kombucha recipes. And make your own everything bagel seasoning too.

Basil for chickens

Basil helps keep the hens healthy with its natural antibacterial properties.

Using THYME for chickens & using THYME in the kitchen

Thyme in the kitchen

Thyme is a nice addition to meat, tomatoes, beans, eggs, and cheese. My favorite use for fresh (or dried) thyme is to add it to my omelets and souffle. It’s also a necessity for the thanksgiving meal, adding extra yum to both turkey and stuffing.

My grandma’s Souffle recipe is one of our favorite (super easy!) meals: See grandma’s souffle recipe here.

Thyme for chickens

Thyme helps a chicken have healthy mucus membranes, so it’s great at assuring your hens have a healthy respiratory tract.

Believe it of not, thyme bundles hung around the coop or sprinkled in the laying boxes are a great way to keep pests at bay. In fact, most aromatic herbs make great insect repellents. Because no matter how wonderful fresh herbs may smell to us, bugs tend to hate (and stay away from) things with a strong smell.

Take a Tour of my Vintage Coop

I say “vintage,” Bill says “falling down eye sore,” but I hope I can convince him it’s worth keeping. Even though he’d much rather tear it down and build a new fancy coop. What do you think?

 

 

Some Great Herbs for Chickens, in a Nut Shell

Here is a break down of some great herbs for your chickens & why:

• Basil – has antibacterial properties
• Lavender – highly aromatic and great stress reliever
• Marigolds – another stress reliever for the hens
• Marjoram –  has a laying stimulant for chickens and is a detoxifier
• Mint –  rodent repellent, digestive aid & lowers body temperature naturally
• Nasturtium –  another laying stimulant
• Oregano – strengthens a hen’s immune system
• Parsley – high in vitamins and it’s another laying stimulant
• Rosemary – pain relief and respiratory health as well as a natural insecticide
• Sage – antioxidant
• Thyme – tackles respiratory infections

 

More reading you’ll enjoy about gardening:

Oh, and if you’re looking for great herb seeds, look no further than this variety pack, or anything you find at TrueLeaf Market… my favorite source for all our seeds.