"Nesting Box Blends" --Home made Recipe?

[albert w]

I planted Russian sage before we had chickens. These shrubs grow rapidly and only get bushier when the ends are snipped off. It's not a true sage but the scent is fantastic. The three bushes kept our small 4-hen coop smelling great all last year with extra to hang in our closets. Here in zone five it dies back during winter but comes each year.

 

[Carousel Acers2]

Go to www.herbalcom.com for bulk discount herbs. There is a horse sight with this company which is cheeper but can't find it right now.

 

[dbaydak]

Thanks for the list and their properties. I will be using this from now on instead of buying the preblended versions.

 

[barnaclebob]

The stuff Im familiar with Contains lavender, chamomile, bay leaves, ecualyptus leaves, oregano, peppermint, tansy, wormwood, marigold petals, spearmint and catnip. This stuff costs $15.00 a pound. WOW
I have growing around my house, lavender, chamomile,various mints and catnip. Maybe Ill give some of this a try. Oregano is pretty easy to grow, so are marigolds. I dont know what tansy is and I dont know where to get ecualyptus leaves or wormwood.

Really??? Come on now, this sounds like some hippie BS or a product from Williams Sonoma. It makes the chickens calmer in their nesting box? My chickens seem pretty zen with hay.

Fishing lures in commercials are meant to catch people not fish...

 

[gibsterl]

Found this link....interesting stuff....
http://www.grit.com/fresh-eggs-daily/nesting-box-herbs-chicken-aromatherapy.aspx

 

[dbaydak]

Thanks everyone for the information. I have learned so much. I didn't have all the herbs mentioned in the list, but mixed up what I did have and put in the nesting boxes last night. The hens seen to like them, and I caught one nibbling on them. I also put some in the brooder with my chicks, around the edges. The chicks all fell asleep on the herbs and seemed really relaxed. Even if it doesn't have health benefits, it makes the coop smell clean and fresh, so I think I will continue using them.

 

[MARYC]

I think my post disappeared so Ill start again...These herbs are flea repellants. Wormwood smells a lot like eucalyptus. The Early Colonists used it for moth repellant. I planted a 3" one I bought at an herb farm years ago and it keeps coming back and it's huge. I never knew what to use it for until I got hens! Eucalyptus and Bay leaves can be bought cheaply in bulk at any Indian grocery. It doesn't grow in New England, so the Indian Grocery is easier to find than those plants! And these make the coop smell like a boudoir!! LOL - much better than chicken poop.
Common tansy,lavender, oregano, mint, calendula (marigolds), catnip all grow in cold climes and some wild,
but you can buy them dried in bulk, online.

 

[aart]

Just don't over do any of them unless you thoroughly research the toxicity.

Just because it's 'natural' or 'organic' doesn't mean it's not toxic in certain quantities, in certain forms and/or to certain animals.

 

[robinmaurer]

This is my first year raising chickens and I 've been reading about adding herbs to the nesting boxes..... my question is is there a recipe and if there is how much of each herb do you use?

 

[MinBH2O]

Robin - web searches will give some suggestions on what to use and how much. When In doubt...less is more. Here is a link I used when starting out from the Chicken Chick Spruce the Coop http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=Spruce+the+coop. I started using herbs to keep away flies, hanging large bunches of what every was in excess...lemon balm, mint and French tarragon have worked well, as did the fly strips. They also free range and the herb garden is a favorite spot. Oregano, wornwwod, thymes, rosemary, camomile, basil, chives, lavender....the list goes on. To date I have lined the nest boxes with wood shavings and a bit of DE and poultry dust. Will try one box with a small amount of the dried lemon balm or mint and see how it goes. Just experiment/explore with small quantities and observe results, research the herb(s) in use to avoid harm. Use common sense and set appropriate expectations...I use herbs but also practice strict biosecurity measures. Here are some basic tips http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/birdbiosecurity/. Use apple cider vinegar in one of the waterer but serve fresh water only as another option. Keep a well stocked first aid kit. Keep on top of cleaning chores. Feed a quality diet. Use poultry dust and deworming on a preventative schedule. I see my job to keep the birds as healthy as possible and provide the best environment I can. Balance natural with other methods works best for me.