How to Keep Chickens Cool with Peppermint Infused Ice Cubes | Raising Chickens

Learn how to keep chickens cool this summer with peppermint infused ice cubes! Try this simple hack for healthy, hydrated, and happy chickens.

Here in zone 8b summer is hot and humid, and we are always trying to learn how to keep chickens cool and hydrated. We put ice in our chicken waters every afternoon during this time of year. Sometimes we refresh it a few times a day. Ice water is a must for our ladies to survive where we live. 

But did you know that mint has natural cooling properties that can help your ladies cool down faster and for longer?

Thus, we were led to peppermint infused ice cubes to keep chickens cool. We learned about this hack last summer and shared it with our audience on Instagram. But we decided to write a blog post on it to explain the “how to” and benefits in more detail.

How to keep chickens cool with peppermint infused ice cubes

Have you ever heard of watermint? Well, peppermint is actually a hybrid cross between watermint and spearmint. Peppermint leaves have many essential oils in them including menthol. Menthol is the very oil that gives peppermint its mint scent and its cooling properties making it a perfect herb to keep chickens cool.

Steps to make Peppermint Infused Ice Cubes

1. Put peppermint leaves in ice cube trays.
2. Fill each cube with water.
3. Put the ice cube trays flat in a freezer and freeze.

How to use Peppermint Infused Ice Cubes to Keep Chickens Cool

You can add a few peppermint infused ice cubes into your chicken waters each day or afternoon. You can do this along with regular ice cubes for a refreshing ice water. They also enjoy mint ice cubes as a peck toy! So, if you have a peck toy hanger, or other chicken toy, you can place the peppermint infused ice cubes into it. Peppermint infused ice cubes can also just be put directly on the ground, but they will get a little dirtier that way and melting may cause the chickens not to get all the water from the ice. If you grow your own peppermint, this is an expensive and sustainable option!

Health Benefits of Peppermint

Besides the cooling effects to keep chickens cool, there are many health benefits from peppermint in its natural herb form. Here are several science-backed health benefits of peppermint that are for chickens and humans alike!:

1. Peppermint is a rich source of vitamins and minerals

Peppermint leaves are a natural source of Vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as B-6 and other B complex vitamins. The B complex vitamins include riboflavin, folates, and more. Peppermint also is rich in calcium and potassium.

2. Peppermint may aid in stronger eggshells and eggshell production

Since peppermint is rich in calcium and potassium, as well as other vitamins, it may aid in chickens laying eggs with stronger shells. Chickens require a calcium supplement whether they are pasture-raised or consume feed. This is because every time they make and lay an egg, they are losing calcium from their bodies. Typical feed does not have enough calcium to make up for this loss. Some people supplement chicken feed or pasture with things like oyster shell or ground eggshells. But, it can also be helpful to provide them with peppermint.

3. Peppermint is antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory

Peppermint oil was found in a study to kill and prevent the growth of common bacterias like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. It also was found to kill several types of bacteria like Staphylococcus and bacterias that cause pneumonia. Peppermint can also fight bacterias right inside the mouth.

Peppermint has also been found to prevent viruses and reduce inflammation. The reason peppermint is found in so many spa and body products is because peppermint is a natural muscle relaxer. It can cause muscles, inside and out, to relax which aids in reducing inflammation, headaches, and other pain. Peppermint has also been found to improve blood flow and circulation. With peppermint being antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, it helps boost immune systems overall.

It is super important to be as proactive as possible to prevent bacterias and viruses in your chicken flock. Bacterias and viruses spread easily in a flock and are a common cause of death in chickens.

4. Peppermint aids in a healthy digestive system and also acts as a stomach pain reliever

Stomach pain can come from gas, indigestion, and bloating. Peppermint can also relax the digestive system (remember Pepto Bismol?), prevent muscle contractions in the stomach, and relieve gut spasms.

Chickens also need to be supplemented with something called grit if they do not have access to enough gravel and small rocks. Grit and gravel aid in digestion for chickens. So, peppermint can be a wonderful partner to grit or gravel for a chicken’s digestive system.

5. Peppermint may aid in a healthy respiratory system

We learned in number 3 that peppermint is antibacterial, antiviral, and ant-inflammatory. Because of this, peppermint aids in a healthy respiratory system. It does this in a few ways. One way is that it can fight infections and bacterias that cause sinus issues. Peppermint can fight the common cold and ease allergy symptoms, like clogged sinuses, with its minty scent. It is important for chicken coops to have good airflow for a healthy respiratory system. So, sprinkling peppermint leaves in the coop or feeding them to chickens can aid in a healthy respiratory system.

6. Peppermint aids in stress relief

Combining all the effects of peppermint we have already talked about, peppermint has been found to be a natural stress reliever. Not to be repetitive, but this is because it is a natural muscle relaxer, a natural pain reliever, an anti-inflammatory, it boosts blood circulation, and it prevents bacterias and viruses. Peppermint leaves can be used to help chickens in any stressful situation. This can be when they are integrated with other chickens, move locations, experienced bad weather like a hurricane, or were bullied.

7. Peppermint repels insects and pests

The minty menthol in peppermint makes it an irritant to almost every insect and pest. Peppermint is commonly used as a natural insect repellent as a spray or oil drops. But you don’t have to make a spray or buy an oil. You can put mint leaves directly in chicken coops and runs. We already talked about how this aids in a healthy respiratory system, but it also repels insects and pests. Although you do want your chickens to find healthy protein from some insects, certain pests (like mosquitos) carry diseases and you may want to add peppermint to coops and runs during really humid weather, dusk, or any other time your chickens are facing pests that can interfere with their health.

Other Ways to Keep Chickens Cool in the Summer

• offer ice water several times a day
• make sure they have a shady spot to hide from the sun
• spray them with a hose on a light or mist setting
• put a shallow kids pool or tubs of cold water in their run or pasture
• freeze ice blocks for them instead of ice cubes

Conclusion

Peppermint is both cooling and full of health benefits. We hope that you enjoyed learning how to keep chickens cool with peppermint infused ice cubes. Try this simple hack for healthy, hydrated, and happy chickens! Furthermore, we hope that you learned a lot about the powerful health benefits of peppermint for chickens (and humans!).

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