I grow an abundance of herbs and edible flowers each spring and summer to use in my cooking and also to share with the chickens fresh from the garden.

Throughout the summer I also dry the excess using my homemade Tiered Herb Drying Rack and then add the dried herbs to our chicken feed in the winter for extra nutrition when they can't munch on fresh grasses and herbs. 

I also freeze some herbs for a nice surprise for the hens when snow is on the ground. It couldn't be quicker or easier.

Freezing Herbs for a Winter Treat for your Chickens

To freeze herbs for a winter treat for your chickens, all you need to do is snip some nice fresh herbs along with some edible flowers  and put them in plastic berry boxes that I save just for this purpose so they don't get crushed.

You can also clip grasses and weeds and freeze them the same way. 

Some suggestions for herbs to freeze | 

• basil
• cilantro
• dill
• mint
• oregano
• sage
• thyme

I don't bother washing the herbs and flowers. We don't use any sprays or chemicals on our gardens and I figure any bugs that get collected and accidentally freeze-dried will just be a added bonus for the chickens!

I stack the boxes in the freezer and then dole the goodies out over the winter months to give the girls a tasty treat that is super nutritious. The herbs and flowers retain their vibrant colors and help beat the winter doldrums a bit too, I hope!

Why not freeze (or dry) some of your excess this summer?

Whether fresh, dried or frozen, herbs, weeds, grasses and edible flowers are a wonderful and nutritious addition to your chickens' diet.