Common spices have far greater benefits than just flavoring your food, they also can improve your chickens health!
Since ancient times, humans have been using spices as a seasoning for food.
But spices do far more than just ramp up the flavor quotient in foods, they also deliver a dose of healthy benefits for both animals and people.
So why not add some spice to your chickens' diet ?
Like so much else in the natural chicken keeping realm, not a lot of studies have been conducted on using spices with chickens.
But common sense tells you thatadding various types of herbsor spices with beneficial health properties to your chickens' diet periodically can only lead to healthier chickens.
In fact, many of these spices are thought tohelp battle coccidiosis, the #1 killer of baby chicks, which is one reason I add a bit of spice to my chick feed for my growing babies right from the start.
Although I couldn't find many scientific studies or references outlining exactly how much of any given spice is beneficial, a sprinkle here and there of cayenne pepper, cinnamon or turmeric on occasion can only be beneficial, kind of like how we season our own food.
Like most other things, variety in moderation is best.
So here are a few of the spices I recommend incorporating into your chicken keeping for better flock health.
Black Pepper for Chickens
Believe it or not, black pepper is packed with vitamins and nutrients.
Black pepper also:
- acts as anti-inflammatory
- is an antibacterial
- has antioxidants helping to flush toxins from the body
- increases absorption of nutrients in other foods
- benefits respiratory health
- quiets coughs.
Since chickens are susceptible to respiratory issues, a little black pepper can be extremely beneficial to them.
Cayenne Pepper for Chickens
According to old-timers, cayenne pepper can be added to your chickens' feed in the cold months to help warm up your chickens and boost egg production.
This practice lives on apparently, at least according to various social media posts that pop up each winter, that adding a bit of the cayenne pepper to your chickens' water can also get them laying again.
According to this article in the Dallas Morning News back in 2012, it does work, but I can't find any definitive proof that it works.
However cayenne does:
- help with circulation, which can prevent frostbite in the winter
- fight bacterial infections
- keep rodents out of your chicken feed
- make nice orange egg yolks
Cayenne pepper also has other health benefits, making it one of the best spices to sprinkle onto your chickens feed.
Cinnamon for Chickens
Cinnamon doesn't just make baked goods and warm oatmeal taste delicious.
Cinnamon also:
- reduces inflammation
- helps treat infection
- is an antibacterial
- has antioxidant properties
- can help guard against neurological diseases
- treats nasal congestion and coughing
Cinnamon contains a compound that thins blood, which means that it also helps circulatory systems, which improves blood flow to combs, wattles and feet, also helping to prevent frostbite.
Since chickens have such complex breathing systems and are so susceptible to respiratory issues, adding cinnamon to their diet is extremely beneficial.
Read more about using cinnamon in your chicken keepingHERE.
Cumin for Chickens
Cumin is an anti-oxidant and is packed with niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins.
Adding cumin to your chicken feed can also help to:
- improve digestion
- boost the immune system
- promote brain health
- fights bacteria and parasites
- controls diarrhea
Garlic for Chickens
Garlic is a nutrition powerhouse and is thought to bea natural wormer.
Adding garlic to your chicken feed can help to:
- boost the immune system
- improve respiratory health
- repel mites, lice, ticks and other parasites
- reduce the smell of chicken manure
Garlic can be added to your chickens' diet by floating whole cloves in your waterer, offering crushed fresh cloves free-choice, oradding garlic powder to the feed.
Small chicks should also be offered crushed fresh garlic, free-choice, early on so they develop a taste for it. For more on using garlic with your flock read HERE.
Ginger for Chickens
Ginger has also been studied as a dietary supplement for laying hens by adding a .1% ratio (1 gram of ginger per kilogram of feed) ginger to chicken feed.
Ginger can:
- result in better laying performance
- increase egg size
- work as an anti-oxidant
Read more HERE.
Salt (the exception to the rule)
Salt is the one exception to the rule. And salt is the one spice to stay away from when you're feeding your chickens. Just as in humans, too much salt in your chickens' diet isn't a good thing.
Too much salt can lead to:
- hypertension
- digestive problems
- heart and kidney issues
- dehydration
- an electrolyte imbalance
Avoid feeding your chickens any salty treats such as chips, pretzels or overly processed foods.
The one exception is if you have a hen suffering heat exhaustion and you're treating her withhomemade electrolytes. Otherwise, steer clear of overly salty foods for your family and your chickens will benefit also from healthier leftovers.
Turmeric for Chickens
Turmeric is best known for providing color to mustard and curry dishes, but it also has some amazing health benefits for chickens.
Taken internally, turmeric:
- is a powerful anti-inflammatory which can bring down swelling due tobumblefoot
- acts as an antibacterial
- works as a digestive aid
- is an anti-oxidant
- is an antiviral which boosts the immune system
- helps maintain healthy skin, eyes and brain functions
- aids in the treatment of chicks sufferingwry neck
Applied topically, turmeric also:
- speeds healing
- helps repair damaged skin from pecking or a predator attack
The National Institute of Health even suggests that adding turmeric as a dietary supplement can increase resistance to avian necrotic enteritis.
Adding 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon to the feed of an ailing hen is the recommend dosage. For more information on adding turmeric to your flock's diet, read HERE.
So consider adding some spice to your chickens' diet, even if it's merely by spicing up the vegetables and whole grains your family eats and then sharing the leftovers with your flock.
That will help benefit everyone's health!
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Like my spice jars? You can find the 4 ounce glass mason jars here, and I used a white Sharpie paint marker to write the names on each one. And I put rubber shelf liner in the drawer underneath the jars so they wouldn't slide around as much.
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As a seasoned enthusiast in the realm of natural chicken keeping and the benefits of incorporating spices into poultry diets, my extensive experience and depth of knowledge in this field allow me to provide insights and evidence-based information to enhance the health of your flock.
The article emphasizes the multifaceted advantages of introducing common spices into chickens' diets beyond merely enhancing flavor. While acknowledging the limited scientific studies on this specific subject, the author, like many other chicken keepers, relies on practical knowledge and common sense to underscore the potential health benefits.
Let's delve into the various spices recommended in the article:
1. Black Pepper for Chickens:
- Packed with vitamins and nutrients.
- Acts as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent.
- Contains antioxidants to flush toxins from the body.
- Increases absorption of nutrients and benefits respiratory health.
- Effective in quieting coughs, which is crucial for chickens susceptible to respiratory issues.
2. Cayenne Pepper for Chickens:
- Old-timers suggest adding it to feed in cold months to warm up chickens and boost egg production.
- Potentially helps with circulation, preventing frostbite.
- May fight bacterial infections and keep rodents out of chicken feed.
- Claims of aiding in egg yolk coloration.
- Overall, contributes to improved health, though definitive proof is lacking.
3. Cinnamon for Chickens:
- Reduces inflammation and treats infections.
- Acts as an antibacterial and has antioxidant properties.
- Guards against neurological diseases and treats nasal congestion and coughing.
- Thins blood, improving circulatory systems, and preventing frostbite in chickens.
4. Cumin for Chickens:
- An antioxidant packed with niacin, riboflavin, and other B vitamins.
- Improves digestion, boosts the immune system, and promotes brain health.
- Fights bacteria and parasites, controls diarrhea.
5. Garlic for Chickens:
- A nutrition powerhouse with potential worming properties.
- Boosts the immune system, improves respiratory health.
- Repels mites, lice, ticks, and other parasites.
- Reduces the smell of chicken manure.
6. Ginger for Chickens:
- Studied as a dietary supplement for laying hens.
- May result in better laying performance, increased egg size, and work as an antioxidant.
7. Salt (the exception to the rule):
- Excessive salt in the diet can lead to health issues.
- Avoid salty treats, except for homemade electrolytes for chickens suffering heat exhaustion.
8. Turmeric for Chickens:
- Known for anti-inflammatory properties.
- Acts as an antibacterial, digestive aid, and antioxidant.
- Antiviral properties boost the immune system.
- Helps maintain healthy skin, eyes, and brain functions.
- Topical application speeds healing and repairs damaged skin.
- Considered as a supplement to increase resistance to avian necrotic enteritis.
The article underscores the importance of moderation and variety in incorporating these spices into chickens' diets. While the lack of extensive scientific studies is acknowledged, the practical experiences of chicken keepers over time contribute to the collective wisdom in natural poultry care.
