Chickens & Essential Oils
Before we get started, know that when I refer to an oil, I am talking about dōTERRA brand oils. They are the only ones I trust and the only ones I’ve seen test pure by third party companies. You can find them in the links below. If you already have oils from me and purchased a wholesale account, you can log in and use your 25% off discount. If you have questions about that let me know!
I must also state that I am not a doctor and the statements I make below are not supported by the FDA or governing body. These are just hacks that have worked for me and my flock over the years. There are studies that show essential oils are beneficial to chickens. I will link them here..
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8495342/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4346696/?fbclid=PAAaYfmdMtYSzZNK1JwZCiL7skilywjx5rUhEsFUa3XI4_UPlxnCsR8G3GYZA_aem_AQOUhiVPR5ZWMJoAy3CXUoTiWkEoloAKB8VuSUTN97O8mrVaMIWiiFQcqhKmGFdCZX0
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/7/1294
Oils can be used for all sorts of things in the chicken coop! When using the oils, less is more. Start with just a few drops to see if it gets the job done. If you need to increase it you can do that. There is information out there about not using scents and oils with birds. I used to have parrots in the house and had to keep all candles and air fresheners away from them. This is because most of those things are made with toxic chemicals. dōTERRA essential oils are pure extract from plants with nothing added or taken away. They have many health benefits for humans and animals alike. Do not use oils you purchase elsewhere for these recipes and ask me why they don’t work or why your chickens had a reaction. You should not purchase dōTERRA oils from amazon as many of them are adulterated. As a rule of thumb (for people and animals) I keep oils out of sensitive areas like the eyes, nostrils, or ears. You can put oils near those areas but you don’t want them going in. I also always recommend diluting oils before application to the body. This prevents the oils from evaporating and keeps them on the skin to make them work better. It also prevents any skin sensitivities. Just like chewing peppermint gum, some people are sensitive and it’s too minty, others can handle it just fine. To dilute, I like using fractionated coconut oil.
Below are some of my trusted oil recipes and remedies to use with chickens. You can find all of the oils I talk about in my Healthy Chicken Oil Kit or my Healthy Coop Oil Kit ! With either kit purchase, you can remove or add items. With my links, the $35 membership fee will come off before check out for all US and CA customers. Please email me if you need a link for CA or other countries. You also get 25% discount on any future purchases. If you have an online following or have friends who will want oils as well, reach out to me before purchasing so I can help you set up a free affiliate account purelychickens@gmail.com
Healthy Coop Kit Recipes:
Coop Fly Spray
-16 oz glass spray bottle
-20 drops each lavender, peppermint, geranium, lemongrass, terrashield, and citronella.
You can add a few drops of unscented castile soap to help disperse the oils. Shake well before each use and spray as needed around the coop. If the flies are bothering your chickens, spray the back of their feathers once or twice a day and avoid the face.
Coop Cleaning Spray
-24 oz spray bottle
-1 bottle of abode cleaner concentrate OR 3 tbs Onguard cleaner concentrate
-10 drops lemongrass, 10 drops rosemary
Remove soiled bedding before cleaning. Shake well and use the spray to clean all surfaces. Spray and let sit for a minute before wiping clean.
Healthy Chicken Kit Recipes:
Frostbite Cream
1 ounce beeswax
8 oz unrefined coconut oil
1 tsp vitamin e oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops roman chamomile essential oil
Slightly melt the beeswax and coconut oils together in a saucepan. Once it cools, add the vitamin e and essential oils. Once cooled it will become solid. You can apply this to combs and wattles during cold weather.
Immune Support
-5 gallon waterer filled with water
-5 drops of Oregano or OnGuard oil
Fill the waterer and add the drops of oil. Mix it in as best you can and replace daily. This mixture will help keep chicken immune systems in check.
Sick Chicken Help
-5 Drops of Oregano oil and Thyme oil per gallon of water or
-2 drops each oregano and thyme in a large pan of fermented feed
You can either feed this to the chickens on fermented feed or add it to their water. After fermenting the feed add the oils to the feed and mix well. Do this twice a day until everyone is healthy again. (Of course, visit a vet to make sure the chicken doesn’t need antibiotics if possible).
Injury Care
-4 oz spray bottle
-5 drops each of lavender and frankincense (add on items: helicyrism and myrrh for extra support)
-Top off with fractionated coconut oil (add on item when purchasing the kit if desired)
After fully cleaning the wound (I like to use soap and water and then vetriycn spray), let the area dry. Spray with the oil mixture several times a day until healed. Injured chickens should be separated from the flock until healed. Give electrolytes and probiotics and oregano oil in their water (5 drops per gallon). Introduce back to the flock slowly.
Bumblefoot
-warm tub of water
-1 cup Epsom salt
-3 tbs OnGuard cleaner concentrate or abode dish soap
-10 drops Onguard oil and tea tree oil added to the bath (can use frankincense as well)
-Tea tree oil, oregano, frankincense oil (all or whatever you have)
-Gloves, tweezer, nonstick gauze, vet wrap
There are many videos online that teach you how to surgically remove and treat bumblefoot. That is an absolute last resort for me as it is traumatic for me and the bird. It is painful for them even if they hide that pain. Here is what I do instead. Soak the foot in the solution above (might as well do both feet) for 15-20 minutes. At this point the foot is soft. Using tweezers (wear gloves of course), gently remove the scab off the foot. Apply tea tree oil and frankincense (1 drop each) directly to the wound and allow it to soak in. Cover the area with Correct X ointment and a small nonstick gauze. Using self sticking vet wrap, wrap the foot around the wound and between the toes. This tea tree, frankincense, ointment, wrap must be redone daily. I would do this for two weeks before resorting to a surgical method.
Stressed Chicken
-Roman Chamomile (add on oil for Healthy chicken kit), Lavender
-4 oz spray bottle
-Fractionated coconut oil
Fill the bottle with 10 drops of each oil and fractionated coconut oil. Spray the feet of your chickens and a little under the wing. This comes in handy when they are stressed out from a predator attack or somethings similar.
Feather Spray
I like using this one for molting chickens! It can be painful and stressful and this will help with both.
-4 oz glass spray bottle
-5 drops Lavender essential oil
-5 drops Frankincense essential oil
Shake well and spray feathers once or twice a day. Avoid spraying the birds when the weather is freezing.
Chicken Bath
Here’s what you need to know about bathing chicknes:
1. Chickens don’t need regular baths like dogs. They need a dust bath area and they’ll usually do all the work. Washing them regularly can upset the natural oils of their feathers.
2. I do bathe my chickens when they have an injury that needs cleaned, vent gleet, or if they get droppings stuck in their feathers for one reason or another. Most of my chickens have never been bathed.
3. Don’t wash chickens in cold weather. If you must, bring them inside and fully dry them with a blow dryer on low heat before putting them back outside.
4. Fill a utility sink or bucket with warm water and a little all natural soap without unnatural fragrance (I use the OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate or the Abode dish soap. Put a towel in the bottom so they don’t slip and let them soak for 15 min (head above water) to make it easier to remove stuck on 💩.
5. Using gloved 🧤 hands and some soap, with the dirty feathers into a lather and wash. Rinse well and then dry.
6. Chickens will either love the relaxing bath, or act like you are setting them on fire. Work with your chickens to keep them calm. Talk softly and use gentle movements.