Natural Health

[pdblake]

I've just made up a bunch of comfrey, dandelion, cleavers (and they really do like this stuff) and oregano to hang in the run.

I've put garlic in the water too

[Lemon]

At the Omlet Hen Party I went to last year - the lady said garlic powder ( the stuff for horses - not the culinary type) was good as it helped neutralise chicken poo pongs!

We did start to use it - but gave up. The powder has a sticky quality to it and eventually sticks to the bottom of the feeder. Not really sure if it made any difference though.

[di]

I'm possibly being a little cynical here,but who says that the "proper made for animals" stuff is any better than the stuff you can buy a lot cheaper at the greengrocers???...is there really any difference,other than the price tag?

[HayleyB]

My lot love dandelion leaves, they get a double handful or two a day that I forage, also another weed they love, haven't a clue what it is though. Carrots - for some reason they don't like them. What's cleavers

[pdblake]

Cleavers is that sticky stuff that kids chuck on each other's backs

Mine seem to like it (chooks that is, not kids, though they probably do chuck it at each other)

[Flummery]

I rip that up for the chooks though pdblake. It's very stringy and stretchy and I worry about it blocking up their crops. I know they'd eat it in a meadow but they'd nag it down as soon as it appeared. It wouldn't get to be 3ft long like it is in my hedge at the moment!

[pdblake]

I sat watching them eat some yesterday and noticed that they just pull the leaves off and leave the stem. I also thought that hanging some up would allow them to rip it up themselves.

And oh yes, we have lots in our hedge too It's a bugger to get rid of, so I won't bother trying too hard now.

[Glutton4...]

... What's cleavers

Cleavers aka Goose Grass, also known as Sticky Buds. Supposedly extremely good for Horses and Dogs, so possible Chooks too. I have heard it can be as beneficial as Garlic in some cases!

..think I must have read it somewhere...

Just Googled it, and came up with this;

Google Image Result for http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/cleavers.JPG

[HayleyB]

oooh we threw some of that to the chooks and then got worried the leaves might get stucks together in the crops so took it back.

[hmk]

Mine love cleavers- no problems with crops yet, but I do tend to hang it in a string bag so they don't get a huge lump.

Interestingly, nearly all of the dogs we've had over the years have sought out cleavers in the hedgerow to eat. Stan was doing it yesterday, deliberately picking it out from the grass.

In the past people used it as an important pot herb- early to start growing after the winter and full of minerals and vitamins. It would have been part of a spring tonic. Who says animals aren't as clever as humans...

HMK

[Hilary B]

I haven't tried this idea, it is adapted from one I found effective in other areas. If you crush elder leaves, the juice seems to repel flies and horseflies. Might be worth trying to use a bunch of leaves to scour the bits of the henhouse that mites would like to hide in?
I wouldn't make the actual plant available to the chooks, but if you rub the perch etc with leaves, there is nothing much for them to peck at, but the smell may act as a deterrent.....

[Flummery]

there is nothing much for them to peck at, but the smell may act as a deterrent.....

It does for me! It's supposed to keep witches at bay isn't it? Oh dear - just worked that one out....!