Essential Oils

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote:
If you will take the time to read the previous post you will see that the poster was worried that her hens were in danger from the smell, aroma, or what ever else you want to call it that was the result of treating her coop with EO a.k.a.peppermint oil. My whole post is dedicated to trying to answer her concerns. Perhaps you should follow your own advice.

 

[BBrady]

If you will take the time to read the previous post you will see that the poster was worried that her hens were in danger from the smell, aroma, or what ever else you want to call it that was the result of treating her coop with EO a.k.a.peppermint oil.  My whole post is dedicated to trying to answer her concerns.  Perhaps you should follow your own advice.

I read the whole post, in fact I read quite a lot of posts, and have been for about a year before I joined, I didn't mean to offend, i just would have been frustrated if the original post had been mine. You've indicated that you aren't familiar with essential oil use, but what you do know about chickens is helpful. I appreciate your kind clarification.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I read the whole post, in fact I read quite a lot of posts, and have been for about a year before I joined, I didn't mean to offend, i just would have been frustrated if the original post had been mine. You've indicated that you aren't familiar with essential oil use, but what you do know about chickens is helpful. I appreciate your kind clarification.

Thank you.

 

[Grain Gypsy]

Sooo. I didn't read this thread before I tried to use essential oils on my 3-day-old chick.

The chick had a vent obstruction that I had to manually express/clear. I gave it an epsom salt sits bath, then blow-dried her. I couldn't find any Preparation H in my medicine cabinet, so I reached for my pure lavender essential oil, knowing that lavender is an excellent hemorrhoid treatment for humans. I put two drops directly on the swollen vent, and then creamed it up with the bacitraycin. Then I went and placed it back under the EcoGlow with the other chicks to get warm.

My daughter went out about 30 minutes later to check on the chicks and came back in carrying Miss Swollen Butt. My daughter said she found her laying under the EcoGlow, seemingly unable to move, as the other chicks ran over her. I gave her a good look-over, and she seems drugged. She just wants to sleep, her head flops around when we wake her up, and she is sleeping on her side. I've got her on a heating pad beside me right now for warmth. I hope she makes it. I can't tell if the little one is on her last leg of the journey, or if she's just feeling the calming effects of lavender x10,000.

My teenager had some wisdom. She said, "Mom! I can't believe you put 2 drops on her. You know how little of those oils affect us, and that little chicken isn't even 1/4 of our size!" My 10-year-old son joked, "You have to be 21 to take lavender little chickie. Didn't you know that?"

Oy vey. I hope I didn't just kill a chick using lavender essential oil!

 

[lifthiminsong]

Yes, the 2 drops was probably too much. Her little body may take some time to process the oil, but I'd like to think that no harm was done.
She's probably just feeling rather worn from the whole ordeal, plus as you suggested, feeling the calming effects of the Lavender.

Good luck!

 

[Grain Gypsy]

@lifthiminsong , about 3 1/2 hours after the little chick "went to sleep," she came out of her lavender-induced stupor and was as sprightly as ever. It was like the chick was lavender drunk.

The undiluted lavender applied directly to the chick's vent acted like the chick version of anesthesia. Well, at least she had a good sleep?

I think the moral of that accidental experiment was two-fold for me (1) No undiluted essential oils for my chicks anymore, and (2) When using essential oils the dosage has got to be FAR less than the human application!

I went to the store and got some Preparation H for it and applied it. I hope it helps its little bum. It is still red, but not AS red.

 

[lifthiminsong]

So glad she's better.

 

[CrystalFloresRD]

Good to know about the lavender not causing any long term harm to the chick. Last night one of my 6-day old chicks was sneezing and kept scratching at her nostril. I put three drops of my doTERRA lavender in the diffuser and let it run for the night. I will keep an eye on her, but she wasn't doing any sneezing this morning

 

[kat salamon]

I am wondering if anyone has put a drop in an incubator to kill bacteria when eggs are hatching. This is my first hatch and I didn't know how crazy careful with germs you had to be and now I am nervous. Thanks!

 

[aart]

I am wondering if anyone has put a drop in an incubator to kill bacteria when eggs are hatching. This is my first hatch and I didn't know how crazy careful with germs you had to be and now I am nervous. Thanks!

IMO aromatic oils are more likely to harm chicks than they are to kill bacteria.