Enhancing Your Backyard Flock and Garden: The Benefits of Growing Herbs for Your Feathered Friends

Raising a backyard flock and having a garden go hand in hand so wonderfully! From compost to tilling to bug control, your feathered friends can be really great helpers in the garden! Why not add some herbs to your garden that are beneficial to your flock and reward them for the hard garden work and farm fresh eggs! 

There are many options when it comes to growing herbs for your flock. When choosing which herbs would be best in your garden, think about the benefits of the herbs, how would they help your flock. An important consideration is the amount of space you have for your flock herb garden, and what herbs would grow best there. Most herbs are very easy to grow, making a flock herb garden a fun addition to your garden.

You can offer your flock herbs both straight from the garden or dried. Add to your flock’s feed to give them a good boost. You can make your own nest box blend to help your laying hens. You can even float herbs in your flock's water, for a refreshing treat. Here are some different herb suggestions that your flock would love! 

Mint - Mint is such an easy herb to grow. Be careful though, it can spread quickly, so be sure to plant it in a location you don’t mind the mint taking over a bit! Mint is excellent at repelling mice and bugs away from your coop. Mint is also a calming herb, which is good to add in hen’s nest boxes. In the hot summer months, mint is good to add to chicken’s water to offer a cooling treat. Mint naturally lowers body temperature, which is so helpful in the heat! You can offer your flock mint both fresh, and dried.

Parsley - Parsley is known to be very high in nutrients. Adding Parsley to your flock’s feed gives them a vitamin boost, and can also help in the development of blood vessels. Parsley is also noted as being a laying stimulant, which can be helpful for your hens. 

Basil - Basil is a powerhouse herb to grow for your flock. Basil is known to be antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory, which is so helpful for your flock. Adding Basil to your flock’s feed can also help to support their respiratory, and circulatory health. Basil helps with keeping pesky bugs away, and has properties to help with stress relief as well. You can offer your flock Basil both fresh and dried, either way they will love it! 

Dill - If you are looking to give your flock a boost to help their respiratory system, then Dill is a good herb to grow. Dill is known for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which can aid in the prevention of respiratory illnesses in your flock. Dill is also good for your flock’s digestion as it is known to aid in digestion. 

Lavender - Known as a natural stress reliever, Lavender is an excellent herb to add to your flock herb garden! You can make bouquets of Lavender to hang in your coop to keep bugs at bay, and add a pleasant smell to the coop. You can use dried lavender in nest boxes, and dust bathing areas as well. 

Sage - Sage is a great herb to offer your flock both fresh and dried. Packed with antioxidants, and vitamins, your flock will benefit from the boost that Sage offers. Sage is also known to help with combating Salmonella in your flock. 

Oregano - If you are looking to give your flock’s immunity a boost, then add some Oregano to your garden. Oregano is known to aid in the prevention of issues like e.coli, coccidiosis, and salmonella. You can offer your flock Oregano fresh picked right off the plant, or you can dry Oregano ahead of time, and add to your flock’s daily feed. You may notice that many commercial feed companies add Oregano to their feed due to all of the amazing benefits! 

Hopefully we have given you some inspiration to grow your own flock herb garden. Your flock will love you for it! 

Here is a dried herb nest box blend recipe to use in your own coop!

1 cup dried Basil

1 cup dried Lavender

1 cup dried Mint 

1 cup dried Oregano

Mix all of the dried herbs together in a mason jar, and add to your flock’s nest boxes every time you collect eggs. Your hens will love it!