Have you heard about using essential oils to improve your flock’s health? If you’re a backyard chicken owner, this might not be news to you—it’s all the rage right now!
Essential oils can offer a natural, effective way to keep your chickens healthy, and Strong Animals Chicken Essentials has made it easy to incorporate them into your care routine.
Today, I want to dive into two essential oils that can do wonders for your flock: peppermint and citronella. These oils have incredible benefits for chickens, from repelling pests to supporting respiratory health.
Citronella Essential Oil: A Natural Pest Repellent
Citronella essential oil is well-known for its ability to repel pests, but it’s more than just a mosquito deterrent. Here’s why citronella is so helpful for chickens:
Repels harmful insects: Citronella is highly effective at keeping away mosquitoes, gnats, flies, lice and mites—all of which can cause problems for your chickens.
Promotes a pest-free environment: Pests like lice and mites can be tough to spot, but they can harm your chickens by making them uncomfortable and even causing infections. Citronella helps keep these pests away, preventing potential health issues in your flock.
These pests can cause major problems for your chickens, but using citronella helps keep them away naturally!
The Power of Peppermint Essential Oil for Chickens
Peppermint essential oil has multiple benefits for your chickens, making it a must-have in your flock care routine. Here’s why:
Repels pests: Peppermint is known to keep away flies, rodents, and other unwanted critters that can wreak havoc on your flock.
Supports respiratory health: Chickens can sometimes suffer from respiratory issues, especially during colder months. Peppermint oil has natural properties that support and clear the respiratory system, helping your chickens breathe easier.
Cleans and freshens: Peppermint isn’t just for pest control—it’s also an amazing natural cleaning agent for your coop. Adding it to your cleaning routine can help keep the coop fresh and bug-free.
How to Use Peppermint and Citronella Essential Oils in Your Flock
Incorporating peppermint and citronella essential oils into your chicken care routine is easy. There are a few simple ways to make the most of these oils:
Add them to dust baths: Dust baths are essential for keeping chickens clean and pest-free. By adding a dust bath mixture with these essential oils, you can give your chickens extra protection against pests while supporting their overall health.
Use them as a coop cleaner: Both peppermint and citronella oils work great as natural cleaning agents. Add a few drops of each to water or a coop cleaner to freshen up the coop and repel bugs.
Create a spray: You can create a simple spray with water and essential oils to mist around the coop, helping to deter pests and keep the air fresh.
Just remember—when using essential oils, it’s important to get the balance right. Too much or too little can be ineffective or harmful, so always follow recommended guidelines or choose pre-made products that use safe, measured amounts.
Dust Bath Additive with Peppermint & Citronella Essential Oils: Preen Queen
Strong Animals has made it easy to add essential oils to your coop with Preen Queen. This dust bath additive helps keep your chickens clean and free from pests. It features a powerful blend of ingredients, including:
Zeolite: A drying agent that helps absorb excess oils.
Diatomaceous Earth: Known for its ability to kill pests like mites and lice.
Peppermint and Citronella Essential Oils: Natural oils that deter bugs and pests from your flock.
All of these ingredients work together to help remove excess oils from your chickens’ bodies while keeping harmful bugs away. Next time you’d like to incorporate either of these essential oils into your chickens’ dust bath, simply sprinkle some Preen Queen in their dust bath areas
Why it’s a Must-Have
Bugs hate the smell of peppermint and citronella. This deters them from even getting near your flocks. Preen Queen is a great addition to your flock! It comes in a 5 lb. container and includes an easy-to-use scoop to sprinkle all around your dust bath areas. It can be used indoors or outside in your chickens’ favorite dust hole.
Strong Animals Chicken Essentials has safely incorporated organic essential oils into its products so you can be sure your flock is getting the correct amount! Too much or not enough is never a good thing. You can be assured that using these products is completely safe for your flock. I have been using them for almost 5 years and have never had a healthier flock of chickens!
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady
Preen Queen - Dust Bath Additive for Chickens
Preen Queen is a dust bath additive containing zeolite, diatomaceous earth, peppermint and citronella essential oils to help remove excess oil from your chickens’ body. Simply add Preen Queen to your dust bath to keep their feathers clean and pristine.