Boiled Fennel Seed without crop issues, good for digestion?

[Captain Andrews]

So pretty straight forward question as titled. As opposed to my wife throwing out fennel seeds since she never uses them, I did a search in the forums and found it can be useful for impacted crops.

Since none of my flock is impacted. I wonder if anyone knows or has experience serving a dish of fennel tea to as a 'preventative digestive measure'?

 

[Shadrach]

There is fennel growing where the chickens i look after range. I've never seen them show any interest in eating the seeds.
I assume you mean something that will act as a probiotic by preventative digestive measure.
I think live yogurt might be a better choice.

 

[Captain Andrews]

There is fennel growing where the chickens i look after range. I've never seen them show any interest in eating the seeds.
I assume you mean something that will act as a probiotic by preventative digestive measure.
I think live yogurt might be a better choice.

Not necessarily for probiotic benefit, more so just cleansing the pathway food travels to the crop and beyond.
Plain Greek yogurt is a favorite treat they get every once in a while. But I have to buy some just the chickens or I'll eat it all.

 

[Shadrach]

Not necessarily for probiotic benefit, more so just cleansing the pathway food travels to the crop and beyond.
Plain Greek yogurt is a favorite treat they get every once in a while. But I have to buy some just the chickens or I'll eat it all.

I think clean water does that.
Are you going to drink the fennel tea as well?

 

[Captain Andrews]

I think clean water does that.
Are you going to drink the fennel tea as well?

Never tried fennel tea before but why not. I do enjoy tea. Just had a cup of lemon balm today.

 

[Perris]

Better to give them the seeds rather than an infusion made from them. It is good for chickens and mine like it, lightly fermented with the rest of the grains and seeds I give. Specifically, fennel seed's got good quantities of protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese and the b vitamins, amongst other things.

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm not a fan of infusions and other ways of concentrating anything, or of mixing/hiding things in chicken feed so the chickens can't see it's there and regulate their intake. This includes herbs, seeds, even calcium (that's why I don't like layer feed with its added/hidden calcium that the chickens can't regulate). There's a common misconception that if something is good in small amounts, it must be better in larger amounts, and that is just not true. Dosage is everything, and it's very easy to overdo a good thing and make it dangerous with overdose. Fennel seed can be a muscle relaxant, including relaxing the digestive muscles, which can be dangerous if they get relaxed too much, as digestion relies on peristalsis (the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscles along the digestive tract that move the food along). Additionally, chickens can be very sensitive to nutritional imbalances, and develop problems as a result. So, in short, I would not give my chickens fennel tea, or hide fennel seeds in their feed. If you have a lot of seed to get rid of, offer it straight in a separate container, and if the chickens really want/need them, they'll eat them. And if they don't eat them, then maybe there's a reason why. Or, you could just scatter the whole quantity in the run and have it mix in with the bedding. The chickens may enjoy "finding" hidden seeds while they scratch, so it can be an enrichment activity for them, and whatever doesn't get eaten will just become part of the bedding.

 

[Captain Andrews]

I'm not a fan of infusions and other ways of concentrating anything, or of mixing/hiding things in chicken feed so the chickens can't see it's there and regulate their intake. This includes herbs, seeds, even calcium (that's why I don't like layer feed with its added/hidden calcium that the chickens can't regulate). There's a common misconception that if something is good in small amounts, it must be better in larger amounts, and that is just not true. Dosage is everything, and it's very easy to overdo a good thing and make it dangerous with overdose. Fennel seed can be a muscle relaxant, including relaxing the digestive muscles, which can be dangerous if they get relaxed too much, as digestion relies on peristalsis (the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscles along the digestive tract that move the food along). Additionally, chickens can be very sensitive to nutritional imbalances, and develop problems as a result. So, in short, I would not give my chickens fennel tea, or hide fennel seeds in their feed. If you have a lot of seed to get rid of, offer it straight in a separate container, and if the chickens really want/need them, they'll eat them. And if they don't eat them, then maybe there's a reason why. Or, you could just scatter the whole quantity in the run and have it mix in with the bedding. The chickens may enjoy "finding" hidden seeds while they scratch, so it can be an enrichment activity for them, and whatever doesn't get eaten will just become part of the bedding.

I appreciate your insight and thought process. I would like to ask if you might have such insight with regard to the nutrients and effects of raw pumpkin?

I made a post that details why I ask. Enlarged crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ruding-crops-but-empty-every-morning.1605431/

 

[K0k0shka]

I appreciate your insight and thought process. I would like to ask if you might have such insight with regard to the nutrients and effects of raw pumpkin?

I made a post that details why I ask. Enlarged crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ruding-crops-but-empty-every-morning.1605431/

I'm going to go have a look.