MaryValley The Voice

Mugwort And Chickens

The Plant of the Month for May is Tree Mugwort, Artemisia verlotiorum. Tree Mugwort flowers in May and is perfect for weaving into ‘flower crowns’ or wreaths.

Tree Mugwort is a distinctive herb that grows well in our subtropical climate. Long living and easy to grow, Mugwort is not just a herbal medicine and useful permaculture plant, Mugwort is a magical herb. Much loved by healthy hippys, lucid dreamers and kitchen witches, Mugwort can be taken as tea, infused in oils, or even smoked for its mildly euphoric effect. I love it most because it is the best strewing herb for my chicken pens.

A strewing herb is an aromatic herb used to throw on the ground, to make the place feel clean (my favourite kind of cleaning). Now that the hot and wet weather is over and the season is cool, I clean out my chicken pens and fill them up with barley straw and Mugwort prunings. The straw will help my chickens keep warm over winter, and the Mugwort will provide many benefits, first and foremost- it makes a relatively yucky place feel and smell really clean and fresh, and retain that niceness as the plant matter breaks down over time.

Of all the bitter medicinal herbs, Mugwort is quite palatable to chickens. Eating Mugwort will help them expel worms and parasites from their digestive system (in quite a gentle way).

Do chickens experience a mild euphoria from the Mugwort? Maybe they do?! They always seem extra happy and at ease with a pen full of fresh, lovely, soft and pungent Mugwort, and this makes me happy.

~ Lisa Delanoue and her flock

PS. Gorgeous young turkeys available now!