Let's talk Oregano Essential Oil for Chickens... Uses? Dosing? Benefits? Can it be used daily?

[NeedToKnowItAll]

I have seen so many recommendations for oregano essential oil, not only for chickens but for human consumption as well, but mostly when a sickness occurs. I know I have read an article or two about Oregano Essential Oil being used daily as a preventative/immune booster for chickens but, I cannot for the life of me find any information on this now that I have bought this bottle from Amazon in my hands. The dosages that I have ran across are: 1 drop per gallon of water for chickens that are 18 weeks or older. 18 weeks and younger: a toothpick dipped into the oregano essential oil and then place the toothpick in a 16 oz spray bottle full of water and mist the chick feed lightly. Im not confident in this dosage so PLEASE correct me if I am wrong. I want to know everything you know about Oregano Essential Oil... What are the uses? What are the benefits? What are the downfalls or cautions when using? Has anyone used Oregano Essential Oil as a preventative? Is this dosage correct per age? Can it be used daily? TIA

 

[Weeg]

I love this conversation! I do a lot of research on holistic approaches to medicine, and Oil of Oregano is part of it.
First off, I would like to mention that you DO NOT not want to use Oregano Essential oil. Essential oil is extremely potent to a point where it can be harmful. Despite that, I've seen many blog posts for chickens taking about the benefits of essential oil.
What your looking for is Oil of Oregano. That is simply Oregano oil, and ins't nearly as potent at essential oil. They are on the right track of herbal and holistic medicine, but obviously not doing enough research.

What are the uses?

Oil of Oregano can actually be used as a natural antibiotic in cases. I swear by it. Every time I'm exposed to a virus, I take Oil of Oregano right after, and have never caught it. This article explain more about it being a natural antibiotic. I actually mentions that it is used in the chicken feed industry for Organic Farmers who can't feed antibiotics to their birds. The article is for dogs, but its a source I trust with good info. All the benefits it talks about is the same, expect for dosage. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/oil-of-oregano-natural-antibiotic-for-dogs-2/

What are the downfalls or cautions when using?

Just from taking it myself, I've learned that it is very very "spicy", and actually can be hard on the gut. Its a hot oil, and its not something I would ever want to feed any animal on an empty stomach. I took it before breakfast once, and that was not fun at all. Some people can't even tolerate the oil. It has a lot of benefits, but is one of the harsher holistic remedies out there. With that said, I would not put it in your chickens water like you mentioned. I think they would be getting a lot of it, possibly on an empty stomach, and over time that could actually cause more harm than good. The only other caution I would take, is make sure you are getting Oil of Oregano. You actually have to type Oil of Oregano into the search bar, or else you will get essential oil, which is not what your looking for.
If you are looking to use oregano as an immune booster, I would simply add the fresh herb to their feed. I soak my feed, so that makes it easier, but you could mix it into their dry feed as well. I would expect a fresh herb to be more beneficial than a dried herb. Unless its freeze dried, the drying process often pulls a lot of key nutrients out of the product. I'm not sure if it would affect its ability to boost the immune system, but it might.

Has anyone used Oregano Essential Oil as a preventative?

Yes! For myself I have. As a preventative to getting nay kind of virus, and as a general immune booster. I think that its a great preventative for all kinds of things in all animals. Though if you wanted to feed the oil on a regular basis, I would put one drop per bird in a days worth of soaked feed, maybe even less, and mix it in really well. I say that since the dosage for dogs is 2-3 drops, so 1 drop for a chicken sounds about right. Then feed that. Or if you wanted to use it as a natural antibiotic. That way they wont get it on an empty stomach, and it shouldn't be to much for them. Possibly even divide the feed between multiple stations, so all the birds get it.
Personally, I wouldn't feed the oil daily. I feel like its very strong, and could possible be pretty rough on their guts. I would stick to the fresh herb, and the oil every now and then. There are other herbs that work amazing as immune boosters and disease preventative. Echinacea supposedly will keep dogs from ever getting any viruses if you feed it before exposure, or right after. Its also not nearly as hard on the gut, so possible a good alternative. Here is an article on it for dogs. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/can-echinacea-boost-your-dogs-immune-system/
Since echinacea isn't so hard on the gut, I wouldn't be as concerned about an exact dosage. For most herbal remedies, I don't think you can over do it, Oil of Oregano is just one that I am cautious with.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'd say its "voodoo", but that gives short shrift to voodoo, which is at least an organized magical sytem.

Paracelsus said (translated, paraphrased) "The Dosage is the Poison" Thousands of years ago. Still true today.

Many chemicals which are useful in small quantity are dangerous in greater quantity - true whether they are organic, all natural, man-made chemical processes, or the result of gene splicing some e coli.

If you don't know the concentration of the active ingredient whose properties you are attempting to make use of, you are doing little more than randomly dosing yourself or your animals with something you found in the pill cabinet, and hoping for the best. Its magical thinking, and its amatuerish at best.

Better to simply plant some oregano, and trust the chickens will eat of it what they want. At least you won't accidentally poison one that way.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No, i'm not a shill for big pharma. Here is my no commercial fertilizer oregano in my raised garden - chickens can eat what grows thru the fence. Garlic in the background. Broccoli left to go to seed.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Oregano is good but I prefer a blend of Essential Oils to give a broad spectrum approach to the benefits of Essential Oils. I like having Cinnamon, Garlic Oil, and Licorice in addition to Oregano. You have to be cautious to not add too much to the feed as they can have a negative impact on feed intake.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Following I love this topic

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Natural approaches are fantastic, but as previous posters have said very concentrated essential oils can be extremely dangerous. Much like pharmaceuticals can be very dangerous at the wrong doses. When you understand just how much plant matter goes into making that 5ml bottle of essential oil it makes you take a big step back.
Allowing a range of fresh herbs is unlikely to cause any negative issues and will most likely offer a wide range of benefits, especially when the chickens can help themselves to what they feel like in the moment. Very few plants are so toxic in their unconcentrated state as to cause accute issues from small amounts of consumption.

 

[3KillerBs]

Personally, I save the herbs for when I'm cooking the chickens.

When I have thrown herb trimmings into the run because they were bug chewed or otherwise unsuited for human use I have not found them enthusiastic about eating them.

IF you put ANYTHING into the birds' water except for medication that they MUST have to treat an active illness you should always offer a second source of PLAIN, clean, fresh water as well lest they reject the adulterated water and become ill from dehydration.

 

[NeedToKnowItAll]

I love this conversation! I do a lot of research on holistic approaches to medicine, and Oil of Oregano is part of it.
First off, I would like to mention that you DO NOT not want to use Oregano Essential oil. Essential oil is extremely potent to a point where it can be harmful. Despite that, I've seen many blog posts for chickens taking about the benefits of essential oil.
What your looking for is Oil of Oregano. That is simply Oregano oil, and ins't nearly as potent at essential oil. They are on the right track of herbal and holistic medicine, but obviously not doing enough research.


Oil of Oregano can actually be used as a natural antibiotic in cases. I swear by it. Every time I'm exposed to a virus, I take Oil of Oregano right after, and have never caught it. This article explain more about it being a natural antibiotic. I actually mentions that it is used in the chicken feed industry for Organic Farmers who can't feed antibiotics to their birds. The article is for dogs, but its a source I trust with good info. All the benefits it talks about is the same, expect for dosage. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/oil-of-oregano-natural-antibiotic-for-dogs-2/

Just from taking it myself, I've learned that it is very very "spicy", and actually can be hard on the gut. Its a hot oil, and its not something I would ever want to feed any animal on an empty stomach. I took it before breakfast once, and that was not fun at all. Some people can't even tolerate the oil. It has a lot of benefits, but is one of the harsher holistic remedies out there. With that said, I would not put it in your chickens water like you mentioned. I think they would be getting a lot of it, possibly on an empty stomach, and over time that could actually cause more harm than good. The only other caution I would take, is make sure you are getting Oil of Oregano. You actually have to type Oil of Oregano into the search bar, or else you will get essential oil, which is not what your looking for.
If you are looking to use oregano as an immune booster, I would simply add the fresh herb to their feed. I soak my feed, so that makes it easier, but you could mix it into their dry feed as well. I would expect a fresh herb to be more beneficial than a dried herb. Unless its freeze dried, the drying process often pulls a lot of key nutrients out of the product. I'm not sure if it would affect its ability to boost the immune system, but it might.

Yes! For myself I have. As a preventative to getting nay kind of virus, and as a general immune booster. I think that its a great preventative for all kinds of things in all animals. Though if you wanted to feed the oil on a regular basis, I would put one drop per bird in a days worth of soaked feed, maybe even less, and mix it in really well. I say that since the dosage for dogs is 2-3 drops, so 1 drop for a chicken sounds about right. Then feed that. Or if you wanted to use it as a natural antibiotic. That way they wont get it on an empty stomach, and it shouldn't be to much for them. Possibly even divide the feed between multiple stations, so all the birds get it.
Personally, I wouldn't feed the oil daily. I feel like its very strong, and could possible be pretty rough on their guts. I would stick to the fresh herb, and the oil every now and then. There are other herbs that work amazing as immune boosters and disease preventative. Echinacea supposedly will keep dogs from ever getting any viruses if you feed it before exposure, or right after. Its also not nearly as hard on the gut, so possible a good alternative. Here is an article on it for dogs. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/can-echinacea-boost-your-dogs-immune-system/
Since echinacea isn't so hard on the gut, I wouldn't be as concerned about an exact dosage. For most herbal remedies, I don't think you can over do it, Oil of Oregano is just one that I am cautious with.

Might be obvious to some, but I want to be 100% clear. Is the bottle I shared in the picture the right thing, Oil of Oregano or Essential Oil?

 

[Bonkerelli]

I use alternative solutions for my chickens and myself since I have chemical allergies. You can use oregano or thyme essential oil but it's easy to overdose. I only use it if there is a sickness in my flock. 1-2 drops of pure essential thyme or oregano oil in 1 gallon waterer. Though you would be better putting some stems with the leaves in the waterer. Oregano is a fantastic antiviral and antibacterial.

For a daily immune boost you can add a tbps of apple cider vinegar or a rushed garlic clove in a gallon waterer. YET, it's good to do the on a week off a week with the ACV and garlic.