Chickens are pretty hardy animals, but offering an herbal mash when they are run down, or sick, can help boost their immune systems, especially in harsh weather. Laura's Buckeye chickens show no signs of weakness, and enjoy treats on snow.

This article will teach you how to make an herbal mash for sick chickens to boost their immune systems.

This recipe is "per bird," mix a batch according to how many birds you are trying to feed, and increase as needed.

Ingredients per bird:

1/2 cup corn, oats (or oatmeal) and/or barley
1/2 teaspoon Echinacea powder
1/2 teaspoon Astragalus powder
1/2 teaspoon Oregon Grape powder or Goldenseal
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon Probiotic powder (acidophilus in a variety of forms)

Make a hot mash with about half a cup of corn, oats (or oatmeal), and/or barley or a mixture of the three. Add the given amount of grains to cold water and cook according to the type of grain used, as times will differ depending on the grain.

Cook the grains well, until they are soft and mushy. Let cool, (not cold), then stir in the herbs and other ingredients. Use ½ teaspoon each of first three powder herbs, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 1 heaping tablespoon of Probiotic powder per bird.

The mix may become stiff after adding the herbs, add more warm water if needed in order for the mash to be mushy but not too soupy.

Feed the mixture to your birds once per day for three days, then rest for one. Then three more, one off, as needed (this is called "pulsing" the herbs).

You can still eat the eggs while using the herbs, but be aware they may give the eggs a slightly earthy taste. This will boost your birds' immune systems and help them get over any viral diseases they might be struggling with.

Laura Haggarty has been working with poultry since 2000, and her family has had poultry and other livestock since the early 1900s. She and her family live on a farm in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, where they have horses, goats, and chickens. She is a certified 4-H leader, co-founder and Secretary/Treasurer of the American Buckeye Poultry Club, and a Life Member of the ABA and the APA.

To learn more about the American Bantam Association, visit: www.bantamclub.com; write: P.O. Box 127, Augusta, NJ 07822; or call: (973) 383-8633.