Mint for Chickens

We have a lot of spearmint that grows on the farm in certain areas of the pasture and fields. The mint has a lot of benefits and we quickly learned how to harvest it and use it for many things around the homestead.

Some quick facts about spearmint includes:
• Mint spreads out, so if your growing it from seed or cuttings be sure to keep it confined if you don’t want it everywhere
• Preserve it by hanging it upside down or dry the leaves in a dehumidifier

Harvesting Mint:
1. In the spring: before mint flowers, cut 4-6 inches above the soil surface.
2. In the fall: before mint flowers, cut about an inch above the soil
3. When cutting, try to go right above leaves to encourage new growth.
4. Hang the whole stem upside down to dry or take the leaves off and dehydrate them
5. Store the dried leaves in glass jars

Some Benefits of Mint for Humans:
• Helps with bad breath
• May help improve cold symptoms
• May help with indigestion and gas

When cooking these, mint is a great garnish:
• Pork
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Salads
• Stews
• Fruit

Benefits of Mint for Chickens:
• Insecticide and rodent repellent
• Eases stress and fatigue
• Helps with sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, and nervous conditions

Just as you read in our herbs for chickens blog post there are many different ways to use mint in a chicken coop. We choose to use it in different ways to try to get the full benefits of the mint that we can.

The chickens love it, and the minty smell in the coop is a bit of a refreshing smell to walk into the coop and smell.
Remember herbs are beneficial for humans and for the chickens. Chickens who eat what we eat a natural diet like ours have better tasting eggs in our opinions! We love knowing where our food comes from and how the animal was fed and taken care of. Our chickens are spoiled and well loved!

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References and Read More About Benefits of Mint for Humans at:

What are the beneftis of mint?
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275944.php
{Accessed on August 28, 2018}

~The Jane Girls