| In short : Raising hens in your garden is a wonderful adventure, but like all animals, our gallinaceans can face small health hassles: drop in eggs, internal or external parasites, cold snaps or stress. Phytotherapy (plant care) is an ancestral, gentle and particularly effective method for hens. It helps boost their immune defenses and treat mild conditions in an eco-responsible way, without chemical residues in eggs: – A healthy alternative: Plants make it possible to prevent and treat small daily ailments without systematically using antibiotics or synthetic treatments. – Zero wait times for eggs: Unlike conventional veterinary drugs, most plants do not require throwing eggs for the duration of treatment. – The magic trio of the barnyard: Lail, thyme and apple cider vinegar are the essential pillars of the natural pharmacy of the chicken coop. – When to consult? Phytotherapy is ideal for prevention or for mild conditions. If a hen is prostrate, isolated, or has serious breathing difficulties, a veterinary consultation is required. |
The hen’s digestive and respiratory system is both robust and sensitive. In the wild, wild hens instinctively peck certain herbs to purge or regulate their body.
By reproducing this behavior thanks to herbal medicine, you offer your garden hens a better longevity and a quality spawning. Find out which plants to use, in what form and for which pathologies.
1. The essential plants of the chicken coop and their benefits
Here are the plants that are easy to find, to grow in your garden or to integrate directly into the diet of your hens.
Thyme: natural antibiotic of the respiratory tract
The hens have a complex respiratory system and very sensitive to humidity and air currents (sensitivity to coryza).
- Its properties: Antiseptic, antibacterial and powerful antiviral.
- Usage: In case of a small cold, cough or runny nose, prepare a strong thyme infusion (fresh or dried). Leave to cool and pour this herbal tea directly into their drinking trough instead of pure water for 5 to 7 days.
Lail: dewormer and cardiovascular protector
Lail is an absolute essential for the health of the barnyard.
- Its properties: Natural repellent against intestinal worms (internal parasites), immune stimulant and intestinal flora regulator.
- Usage: Crush one fresh dail pod per liter of water in the breuvoir, or add powdered garlic into their homemade pâté at the rate of one teaspoon for 4 hens, two days a week. It is an excellent preventive cure to do in autumn and spring.
Diatomaceous earth and lavender: the anti-lice shield
Red lice and crushing lice are the scourge of chicken coops in summer.
- Their properties: Lavender is an olfactory repellent, while diatomaceous earth (non-calcined) acts as a mechanical insecticide that dries out parasites.
- Usage: Hang bouquets of dried lavender inside the chicken coop or mix lavender flowers with their litter. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in their sandbox (their dust bath area) so that they coat the feathers and naturally protect themselves.
2. How to administer phytotherapy to hens?
The hens have no teeth and absorb food by pecking. Three modes of administration are particularly simple and effective:
- Infusion (herbal tea in LaBreuvoir): It is the ideal method for thyme, rosemary layer or chamomile. The plants are infused in boiling water, filtering, letting cool and filling the drinkers. CAUTION: Never use metal boilers For acid or drug preparations, prefer plastic.
- The warm pâté (the perfect support): The hens love wet textures. Prepare a wet stale bread or leftover vegetable pâté, and add dried plants to powder (nettle, garlic, crushed squash).
- Apple cider vinegar (organic lacidifier): Although it is not a plant, apple cider vinegar (organic and unpasteurized) is an essential apple extract. It allows to acidify the crop and the stomach of the hen, preventing the development of bad bacteria and coccidia. Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per liter of water, once a week.
Summary table: Which plant for which small ailments?
| problem encountered | Plant / Natural Remedy | Method of administration |
| Worm prevention (worming) | Pumpkin seeds, fresh garlic. | crushed in the weekly mash. |
| Cold, light coryza | Thyme, rosemary. | In strong infusion in LaBreuvoir for 5 days. |
| drop in laying, fatigue | Spicy nettle (dried and chopped). | Rich in iron and minerals, to mix with the winter diet. |
| Stress (arrival of a new hen) | Roman chamomile, balm. | Infusion in water to soothe the nervous system. |
| lice, plumage parasites | Diatomaceous earth, lavender. | in the dust bath and sprinkled on the perches. |
FAQ: Your Frequently Asked Questions
Can we give essential oils to hens?
extreme caution. Essential oils (HE) are very potent chemical concentrates. The hepatic filtration system (the liver) of the hen is small and can quickly saturate, leading to fatal poisonings. If the essential oil of tea tree or deucalyptus can be used in very diluted spray to clean the air of the empty henhouse, oral administration (in water) is strongly discouraged without the exact prescription of a specialized veterinarian. Always favor fresh or dried plants, which are much sweeter.
Do eggs taste like dail or thyme after treatment?
Generally no, if the dosages are respected. The aromatic garlic or thyme molecules can very slightly modify the smell of egg yolk if the quantities administered are massive, but in the context of a normal one-week cure, the taste of the egg remains perfectly unchanged. This is all the advantage of phytotherapy compared to chemical treatments that can alter the quality of the eggs.
Are there toxic plants for hens in the garden?
Yes, the hens Have a good instinct but they can sometimes consume dangerous plants, especially if their enclosure lacks fresh grass. The plants to be banned from their course are: the rosebay, the digitalis, the thrush, Lif, the boxwood and the Tomato or potato leaves (which contain toxic solanine). If you mow your lawn, do not give them large piles of cut grass that ferments quickly and can cause occlusion of the crop (the wooden crop).