Will chickens eat mint?

[gknee424]

I am planning my herb garden and I read that mint keeps pests away from the house (mice and some buggies, such as fleas). I thought this would be a nice bonus around my coop, but if the hens wouldn't leave it alone or if it would make the eggs minty fresh, this plan is just a pipe dream. They are free rangers, but they are supplemented with grains, layer, beans, and oyster shell.

 

[Lesa]

Mine don't care for it...If you plant it in their area, they might dig it up, though. Hard to get anything started that they can get near!

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I'm curious too. I know they can eat parsley and cilantro and mine love it. I have a HUGE mint plant and would be happy to share that with them if it's okay. Anyone?

 

[Lesa]

Spicegirls, if you have it available, give them some and see if they like it. I would say, not tons of it, just because you probably don't want minty eggs.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
Thanks. I'll give them some to try and see what happens.

 

[UrbanGrower]

I can't say for sure if they'll eat it, my guess is yes, but mint is a pretty vigorous plant. It'll likely grow beyond what the chickens are going to easily be able to get to(once it's developed). Then, once it's gotten too tall for the chickens to kill, it'll keep growing and take over the rest of your garden, flower bed, or wherever it can go. Plant it in partial to full shade to help with it's fast growth. If you get peppermint you can pluck the leaves and dry them for a tasty peppermint tea.

Stake some plastic netting around the base of the plant to prevent digging. Drip line stakes are like $1 for 12 and they work great.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

My mint is planted in a large plastic pot and then in the ground. This has really helped to contain it from spreading in the garden.

 

[OldSchoolBackyard]

I ended up converting an old garden shed into my coop and their popdoor comes out right in the middle of a mint patch that WAS about 3' by 6' That was mid summer. By fall, all that was left was mint stalks with tufts of mint leaves just beyond their reach. I had an herb garden they like to hide in and have cleared out most of the tasty leaves within reach.

So yes, mine like mint!

 

[gknee424]

My coop is up by the house, but their favorite free range spot is way in the back 40, lol, so they just kinda run past everything else to go hang out under the chicken hawks favorite tree.... stooopid chickens!

 

[MSDeb]

My chickens wiped out our mint garden which was in a large planter they had to fly to get into! I haven't found much that is edible that they won't eat. Actually I haven't found ANYTHING they won't eat. We have especially had to remove all styrofoam from the yard as that seems to be a particular favorite. If chickens were larger I believe they would eat people too.