When we built our chicken coop addition this spring, I was excited to also have them build me a raised garden bed underneath the windows. My plan for this was twofold: grow herbs and flowers that the birds could enjoy, and the herbs would also repel insects to keep them out of the coop. I’ve always put herbs inside the coop, on the windowsills and in the nesting boxes, so planting them right outside seemed even better. I also set it up so that the birds could easily peck at the herbs from outside the fence (which they can get through anyway!).
Other than the weeds taking over (which I’ll get under better control next year), it’s turned out well. The birds are enjoying the herbs, flies seem to be mostly staying out of the coop, and it’s far more convenient for me to cut herbs for the nesting boxes, since I now don’t have to go all the way to the other side of the house where my other herb garden is.
It’s had other benefits as well. When parsley for my homemade dog cookies has run short in my other garden, I’ve had this back-up source. I also give farm dog Luke fresh parsley on his breakfast quite often. Many of the herbs are perennials, so they will spread and grow on their own next year.
Here’s what I planted and how they can benefit not just the flock but dogs like Luke as well. I also use many of these herbs in my own cooking, so we get to enjoy them too of course!
Herbs:
- Mint – I have mint in my other herb garden, but I wanted more, so started this from seed in the house in the spring. It is an insect and rodent repellent. It is also an antioxidant, aids respiratory health and digestion, and can help increase egg production. For dogs, mint aids fresh breath and good digestion.
- Parsley – High in vitamins and stimulates laying. For dogs it promotes fresh breath and good digestion as well.
- Oregano – Repels flies and strengthens the flocks’ immune system. It can help prevent common diseases. Even the big poultry producers like Perdue are now adding this to the feed as a natural antibiotic, along with thyme and parsley.
- Lemon Thyme – Along with the above benefit, thyme stimulates egg production as well. It aides in respiratory health and helps prevent parasites. It also repels mosquitoes, mites, and flies. I had thyme in my other garden, so was able to just transplant some over along with the oregano.
- Basil – Repels insects and is anti-bacterial. I started adding basil, along with parsley and even oregano to the dogs’ diets when I put our golden retriever Sheba on a cancer diet. All of these leafy herbs are said to have immune-boosting properties.
- Dill – I’m not sure if the chickens eat the dill or not, but I put it there to repel flies. It is said to have health benefits for the flock as well. Dill is easy to plant from seed and will re-plant itself for the next year.
Rooster Charlie oversees the young girls dust bathing in there!
Flowers: The flowers I included provide benefits for the birds and enjoyment for the humans!
- Nasturtium – Repels insects, is a laying stimulant, de-wormer, and natural antibiotic.
- Calendula – Also repels insects, and if the petals are eaten by the birds, can make for some very pretty orange yolks!
- Sunflowers – I planted these to have some pretty tall flowers at the back of the garden. They have yet to bloom here but are getting quite tall! The chickens will also love the seeds left behind when the flowers go by. I can just put the whole flower head on the ground and they’ll peck away at it.
The sunflowers by the coop are just starting to bud now, but the other herb garden has some already blossoming that planted themselves there!
By the way, there are many more herbs and flowers that can benefit the flock. I may try some new ones in there next year. In the above photo, the tall herb with purple flowers is catnip. When researching this post, I learned that can be good for chickens as well, which isn’t really surprising since it is in the mint family. I’ll move some of that over either this fall or next spring. All will either come back up or re-seed themselves, except for the basil. The parsley will go to seed in its second year, and loses its flavor, so we’ll put in some fresh plants as well. I let a few go in my own herb garden and hope to harvest the seeds for just that use.
Do you use fresh herbs, either for your pets or yourself?
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Hi! Your garden looks beautiful. I’ve been trying to do something similar and I put up a fence so my chickens couldn’t get to the plants while they were small. I’ve just removed it because everything is big now, but the chickens are destroying the area-scratching up and eating. Any advice?
Hi Peggy! Thank you! I kept the fence up seen in the photos. The openings are wide enough that the birds can reach in there to get the herbs, but don’t go in it quite as much. Obviously, you can see in the photos that they can fit through the holes, but I think it at least discouraged them from going in quite as much. I tried to find some fencing with smaller holes, but haven’t been able to find any yet.
That reminds me of the time I put a pot of fresh oregano plants in their run. They decimated it in one day!! I haven’t done that again, LOL.
Cool garden 🙂
Thank you!!
I had no idea herbs could do so much! Charlie is the most handsome rooster I’ve ever met (figuratively). It’s fairly obvious he’s proud of himself and his ladies.
He sure is!!
Wow, looks like other than the sunflowers which hopefully are soon to bloom, that garden has done marvelous!! Super informative on all the various benefits of herbs and flowers, thank you!! On a side note, I am hoping for a post soon on how the new addition of a rooster is doing, Charlie is looking SO beautiful in that pic!? What are those gorgeous fall colors he is sporting!?
I will have a post up about him soon, he gets more gorgeous by the day, I swear!
Very lovely, love all the photos and congrats to you on a well done herb garden.
Thank you, JoAnn!!
That is amazing!!! You truly have a green thumb. It’s great to learn about the benefits of all the herbs. Now that I have a greenhouse, I can grow more!
Oh, you have a greenhouse, that’s exciting! We had one at the old house, it definitely extends the growing season, though it can be challenging at times too (temperature control was our biggest issue).
My black thumb that kills all plants salutes you! You have a wonderful garden.
Thank you! I’m no professional by any means, but I am persistent in trying. 🙂
What a smart idea! And we bet all those herbs smell as good as they look. 🙂
They sure do!!
Aw on handsome Luke. You know I’m partial to him.
Love your plants and yes they do all that for sure. You are most wise.
Sorry I’m so late today. We boated from Rio Vista back to our slip and then drove home.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week. Scritches to Luke. ♥
I’m glad you were able to have a getaway, that sounds so nice!
Luke thanks you for being his #1 fan. 🙂
Wow, what an informed and practical gardener you are – I learned a lot today, thanks! Love those birdies, they are amazing.
I don’t always know what I’m doing, but I like to do research, so that makes it even more fun for me. 🙂
Love the gardens! If I thought I could plant enough herbs and flowers near the house to keep the palmetto bugs and termites away, I’d do it in a heartbeat! Those are really the only bugs that really bother me.
I don’t know of any plants that repel those certain bugs, but there might be some!
The coop looks fantastic and we love that herb garden, I’ll bet some of the herb smells are terrific!
They really are. I love picking them and just sticking my nose right in there! 🙂
What a SUPERB and INFORMATIVE post!!! I have grown herb gardens in the past, but didn’t this year. I grew them for humans but never thought to give any to Dakota! This was just fantastic! Thank you!
You’re welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found it useful, Caren!
Looks like the guineas gave their stamp of approval. Me thinks Charlie is a voyeur. 🙂
I think you just may be right about that. LOL
Those are very lucky chickens. We have some herbs, but I dry them instead of using them fresh. We do use the dill fresh for pickles though.
They are great dried too! I’m just always looking for simpler ways to do things. I don’t do canning, but I did make some refrigerator pickles – they are pretty good!
we love it… and the guniea hen looks as if it would grin at us….. #lovethatberds!!!!!
They are so silly and fun!
What a great idea. We never thought about flies getting into the coop. Glad the new garden is working out as you had planned.
It pays to do lots of research and get ahead on these things, before we have issues. Thank you!
Your gardens are just beautiful! Mom loves touching all of the plants so that they release their fragrance. They smell sooooo good!
That’s what I love to do too! I rub them between my fingers to get the smells. I do that with tomato plants too, I love the smell of those. But those are definitely not good for the birds (or dogs either I don’t think).