Flower Petals & Ash: My Winter Chicken Health Rituals

There’s something so peaceful about watching a flock of chickens hunt for hidden treasures, but when the ground is covered with slush, our girls need a little extra love:

1. Ash Bath: Chickens don't just bathe for fun; they need dust to manage oils and dislodge parasites. When there is no dirt around, I give them ash from my wood stove. It’s dry, dusty, alkaline, mineral-rich, and would otherwise just get tossed. (Thanks to Melissa Hemken of Melissahof Hatchery in Lander for this little gem of chicken wisdom.)

2. Winter Wellness Mix: Since my hens can’t forage for fresh grass (or grasshoppers) right now, I bring the pasture to them with a big handful of this on their breakfast every day: nettle, oregano, thyme, parsley, basil, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and calendula petals. 

Ginger and basil help fight inflammation and keep stress levels low. Parsley and nettle provide vitamin K, iron, and calcium.

Chickens don't have heat receptors, so they don't mind cayenne’s kick, but it’s great for clearing out internal parasites.

The best part? Calendula petals give the winter yolks a darker golden color. 

3. Biochar Bedding: This is my favorite circular farm trick. I’ve been cooking wood pellets into biochar in my wood stove and sprinkling it in the coop when I add fresh shavings. The porous charcoal acts like a sponge and absorbs ammonia smells–keeping the air much healthier for the hens. And once that bedding hits the compost pile, it’s supercharged with the microbes and nutrients that growing vegetables love. 

Let me know if you want to know how I make biochar in my woodstove—I was intimidated at first, but it’s so easy that I sometimes make it multiple times a day. You can too!

🐔I hope you can put a few of these tips to use in your flock. Our girls give us so much. Let’s give them a little bit of love back.