Hello chicken keepers!
When it comes to the care of my chooks I prefer tried and tested natural products and methods to keep them cluckin’. Here are my top 5 natural products for happy, healthy hens!
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is made from ground fossilized algae (silica) and trace minerals. This hard to pronounce product is super easy to use and an essential item in any chicken keeper’s toolkit.
-
Dust Bath
- Superfine grade Diatomaceous Earth is an eggcellently natural way to prevent and combat mites and lice and is easy to add to your chooks regular dust bath spots.
-
Chicken Coop and Run
- I sprinkle a layer of regular grade Diatomaceous Earth on the floor of chicken run and in my Hemp Bedding inside the coop to keep the coop smelling fresh and make sure my girls are dry and comfy.
-
Dusting
- When mites and lice attack I fight back with a good dusting of Superfine grade Diatomaceous Earth. The smaller grade powder gets down to the base of my hens’ feathers and prevents lice and mites from taking hold.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is a marvellous natural tool for chook keepers. It’s alkalising effect on the body helps keep your hens healthy by preventing poultry worms and balancing their gut health.
-
Add it to their water
- Adding 1 ml per chicken per day to your chooks’ water supply will keep their water fresh and ensure they get the right amount to keep their tummies in tip top condition.
-
Cleaning
- Apple cider vinegar is great for cleaning around the coop and home and best of all there’s no nasty chemical fumes for you or your brood to breathe in! Have a peck at our natural cleaning solutions here.
Hemp Bedding
Want to know the secret for a clean, fresh coop? Free from excess moisture and odours? Natural HEMP BEDDING. It is completely organic, super absorbent, pest repellent, lasts a long time and breaks down fast in the compost or on the garden bed. A bale will last about 6 months for a flock of 3 chooks. Have a stickybeak at our guide here.
Garlic
Garlic has fantastic natural benefits for chook-kind! It helps their body repel pests and parasites, boosts their immune system and keeps insects away from the chicken coop.
-
Add it to their water
- Add a few garlic cloves to your hens’ fresh water supply daily.
-
Add it to their feed
- Add a few crushed fresh garlic cloves or a teaspoon of natural garlic powder to your chook feeder.
-
Toss garlic skins into your nesting boxes
- Mix garlic clove skins into your chicken coop nesting box bedding to prevent pests and parasites.
Herbs
There are many herbs that make a great addition to your chicken flock’s feed, coop, chook run and the backyard. From pest repellent properties to health boosters, herbs really are nature's medicine for hens and humans alike! Have a little peck at my top 10 herbs for hens here.
From herbal treatments to healthy diets, we all want to do an eggcellent job when caring for our feathered friends. It's essential that you've got the right expertise you need to raise happy, healthy chooks. Did you know 67% of chicken keepers surveyed experienced a chicken health or behaviour issue in the first 12 months that they didn’t know how to handle?
But don’t worry! Our feathered friends over at Chickenpedia have created a Chicken Healthcare Course. It is a comprehensive online course that includes everything you need, including what to look for in an unhealthy chicken and how to support your egg-laying hens to optimal health. All of their courses are really well structured and filled with vital information, which is why I highly recommend them to all of my readers! From raising baby chicks to feeding to behavior, you’ll find important information that’ll give you the knowledge and confidence to successfully look after your chickens.
Check out Chickenpedia today. As a member, you will also get access to the ALL of their chicken courses!
Looking for more hen health tips? Have a look here. After some more cheeky chook action? Join our communities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest!
Feathers Forever,
Kassandra x
