Peppermint - good or bad

[prinellie]

Wasnt sure where to put this post... recently I read where peppermint oil mixed with water in a sprayer deters flies etc in the coop. I grow peppermint for my “Amish Tea” so I was thinking to put extra peppermint stalks in the coop...? Do you think if they eat on them it will hurt the chickens? Thoughts please

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The peppermint stalks won't hurt your chickens. As to whether the peppermint will actually deter flies...that has yet to be seen.

 

[prinellie]

Nothing seems to faze flies... . Oh well, at least it will smell nice!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Nothing seems to faze flies... . Oh well, at least it will smell nice!

Some people use fly traps or fly tape those may help. Cleaning up excess poop and scooping out from under the roosts frequently helps tremendously.

 

[adickenscoop]

No, peppermint is fine. As long as the plant isn't on this list of plants toxic to chickens, you're golden - http://www.chickendvm.com/toxic.php

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Don't worry about the peppermint hurting your chickens rather worry about your chickens killing the peppermint.