Garlic 101: Is Garlic Good for Chickens?
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Oct. 29, 2024
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If you had to choose only one supplement to give to your chickens, what would it be? I know for me it would be garlic, no questions asked. But, just exactly how good is garlic for chickens? I knew that garlic was beneficial for chickens. But, I didn’t know just how beneficial it actually is for them until I started using it and seeing the results in my flock for myself. Garlic is the single supplement I rely on to keep my flock healthy on a daily basis. It is also my go-to supplement that I give any chickens who are showing signs of sickness. Let’s take a deep dive into the amazing benefits of this supplement powerhouse has for the homestead flock!

What is Garlic?

Is garlic an herb? Or is it a vegetable? Garlic is part of the allum family, which also includes onions. The allum family is actually considered a vegetable, so despite garlic being regularly referred to as an herb, it is actually considered a vegetable. While it may be a vegetable in name, it definitely has all the powerful benefits of any herb!

Garlic grows in bulbs underground. Each bulb is composed of cloves that are covered in a thin-papery covering. The bulb, also called a head, is attached to the roots and the leafy stalks of the garlic plant. When harvested, the roots are usually trimmed off and the bulb is snipped off from the leafy stalks.

Garlic originates from Asia and has been used in ancient medicine for centuries. The benefits of garlic for humans is well-researched, and, surprisingly, the benefits it has for chickens is also fairly research-based. Garlic is probably one of the most well-researched poultry supplements as of right now. It is even gaining some traction in the organic commercial poultry industry as a natural feed-additive.

Beneficial Properties of Garlic

The beneficial properties of garlic come from several key compounds present within the garlic. Fresh garlic contains alliin. When crushed, the alliin combines with alliinase to create the compound called allicin. Allicin is the sulfur-based, organic compound that provides anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties of garlic. However, allicin is also a very unstable compound, thus most of its benefits disappear within 24 hours.

After 24 hours though, the allicin breaks down into another organic compound called ajoene, along with other sulfide compounds. These organic compounds are also anti-viral as well as anti-parasitic and anti-fungal.

Once garlic is consumed by the chicken, it is quickly metabolized. The compounds within the garlic work individually or synergistically, depending on what other compounds are present within the digestive system. Also, since garlic is an organic compound, it already contains all the essential enzymes needed for it to be digested correctly.

Because garlic is fast metabolizing and its benefits are received quickly, it can be used as a supplement on a regular basis.

How Garlic Fights Harmful Pathogens:

These organic compounds give garlic its ability to fight off harmful pathogens while promoting the growth of good bacteria. Both allicin and ajoene work by blocking essential enzymes that harmful pathogens need to survive. The blocked enzymes inhibit the pathogens from thriving and keep them from overtaking a chicken’s system. If given in a high enough dose, the organic compounds can block enough enzymes to actually kill the pathogens.

How Garlic is a Natural Antibiotic:

Garlic is often thought of as a natural antibiotic for chickens. However, it does not behave like a traditional antibiotic. Instead, garlic kills on contact, making it a very direct, fast-acting natural medicine. Harmful pathogens, bad bacteria, and parasites also can’t become immune to garlic like they can to other medicines and antibiotics. The sulfide compounds in garlic are considered ‘fluid’ and are never the same, thus providing a ‘new’ medicine each time they are present in the body.

Garlic also contains beneficial oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are prebiotics which promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut, which in turn improves the immune system of the chicken.

How Garlic is Anti-Parasitic:

As for the anti-parasitic properties of garlic, they come into play once the allicin breaks down into sulfide compounds. The sulfide compounds create an unpleasant environment for the parasites and discourage them from proliferating. Garlic is also thought to contain vermifuge properties. These properties act upon parasite eggs to keep them from developing.

The properties of garlic are so strong, that once consumed, they actually permeate into the skin and tissues of a chicken. This is beneficial for preventing external parasites who don’t like the sulfur residue present within the chicken’s skin.

Benefits of Garlic for Chickens

These are the primary benefits of garlic, which are the benefits a chicken receives from fresh garlic within the first 24 hours that it is provided. Since fresh garlic’s main compound, allicin, breaks down quickly, the garlic must be consumed within 24 hours in order for the chicken to receive these benefits:

• anti-bacterial: fights bad bacteria
• anti-viral: wards off viruses
• anti-microbial & anti-fungal: kills yeasts, molds, and other harmful microbes
• anti-protozoal: prevents harmful protozoa from proliferating
• improves respiratory health: the fragrant smell can be inhaled into the lungs to clear the mucus membranes and fight diseases
• mite repellent: allicin compound gives an ‘off’ taste to the blood making it un-palatable for red mites
• antibiotic: acts as a natural antibiotic
• appetite stimulant: stimulates the appetite and can help ailing chickens consume food to prevent weight loss
• digestive benefits: increases the nutrient availability of other foods and improves the digestion system
• healthy eggs: decreases bad cholesterol in eggs and promotes larger, stronger eggs
• healthy gut: can help balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut
• prevents salmonella: allicin compound kills bacteria known to cause food poisoning

24-Hour Garlic Benefits

The secondary benefits of fresh garlic come into play after 24 hours of the main compound, allicin, being activated. Garlic needs to be crushed, cut, chopped, or heated in order for the allicin to be activated. These secondary benefits come from the sulfur compounds and ajoene now present in the garlic. They are also present in garlic that has been processed since the compound allicin has already been activated and broken down. Heating garlic immediately breaks it down into its sulfur compounds. After 24 hours, garlic provides these benefits for chickens:

• immune boost: boosts the immune system by stimulating T-cells (T-cells are an essential part of the immune system that kill bad cells and activate other immune boosting cells)
• detox: improves the liver function and helps it detoxify
• anti-parasitic: parasites don’t like the sulfide compounds
• reduces ammonia: reduces the sulfur content in poop which creates less ammonia
• better tasting eggs: reduces the sulfur content in eggs, making them taste better
• external parasite prevention: absorbs into the skin to help ward off external parasites

Is Garlic Safe for Chickens?

With a supplement this good, there’s got to be a glitch somewhere, right? Actually, garlic has very few potential side-affects. The main concern that some chicken keepers may have about garlic is the fact that it is part of the allum family, which contain the toxin thiosulphate. Thiosulphate kills off red blood cells, which can cause anemia.

However, thiosulphate is barely present in garlic. The amount of garlic a chicken would have to consume in order for thiosulfate to reach killing quantities would be enough to kill the chicken even if the toxins weren’t present. Even when regularly fed in moderation, a chicken’s body would be creating enough new red blood cells to compensate for any that die off.

Additionally, a chicken’s red blood cells have an added protection from thiosulfate by the fact that they have a cell nucleus. Here is why I don’t think thiosulfate from garlic is dangerous for chickens:

• garlic contains minimal amounts of thiosulfate when compared to onions
• chickens’ red blood cells have an added barrier of a cell nucleus
• red blood cells can be regenerated on a daily basis

Also, keep in mind that garlic is a natural supplement. It should be used to achieve or maintain a certain health status in your flock. Since garlic is also an antibiotic, albeit an all-natural one, too much garlic can interfere with the balance of good bacteria in a chicken’s gut. One species of good bacteria may flourish so much that it overrides another species of good bacteria. This competitive exclusion would work against itself by driving out good bacteria.

Supplement garlic in moderation and you will be able to achieve the health benefits you want without causing damage to your flock’s health.

When to Use Garlic

Garlic is one supplement I recommend using on a regular basis. All of its health benefits compound when garlic is used on a regular basis. Since it has very few side-affects and is very hard to overdose, garlic is a pretty safe supplement for homesteader’s to use with their flock.

My recommendation is to give your flock one dose once a week. Here’s why I recommend weekly administration:

• a single dose a week ensures that you won’t overdose your chickens
• garlic is fast metabolizing, so its beneficial properties don’t last long in the digestive system
• the chickens receive an immune boost and all the other garlic benefits every week
• it allows the garlic to be in the diet enough to provide benefits such as making the chicken’s gut un-pleasant for parasites

This once a week administration will help a healthy flock maintain a good immune system, fight off disease, and discourage both internal parasites and external parasites from becoming an issue. Garlic is also helpful for treating birds who appear ill. Anytime a bird is exhibiting signs of illness, start them on some garlic.

The garlic can help ward off any parasites, viruses, bacteria, or protozoa that may be causing the symptoms. Use the same regular dosage levels discussed below, just provide the garlic more frequently, on a daily basis if needed. Never offer garlic for more than 7-10 consecutive days. Take a break for at least 5-7 days. If you feel that garlic is still needed even after a break, then you can start treating the sick bird with it again.

Here is a quick guide for garlic supplementing:

• healthy flock: one dosage, 1x a week
• sick chicken: one dosage, 1x a day or continual for up to 10 days

How to Give Garlic to Chickens

The next question you may have is how to supplement garlic and what the regular dosages are? Since quite a bit of research has been done on garlic for chickens, I can actually answer those questions for you!

The best way to supplement garlic is by using fresh garlic and offering it free-choice, putting it in water, or putting it in a specific amount of feed. Fresh garlic provides all of the primary benefits mentioned earlier. If left as free-choice or in the food or water for longer than 24 hours, the fresh garlic will also provide the secondary benefits mentioned earlier as well.

Garlic that has been processed in any way, such as garlic powder or garlic granules, will only provide the secondary benefits. Dehydrating, roasting, or cooking fresh garlic will also allow it to only provide the secondary benefits. Freezing fresh garlic or storing whole bulbs in a dark, cool place is the best way to preserve fresh garlic for your flock so that they can receive both the primary and the secondary benefits.

Different varieties of garlic will also have slightly different amounts of allicin or other compounds, however, the differences will be minimal.

How Much Garlic to Give Chickens:

• recommended dosage: 1 garlic clove per 1 quart of carrier substance
• carrier substances: water, feed
• free-choice: offer 1 clove per 10 chickens
• method: any supplemented fresh garlic must be crushed (crushing the garlic is essential to activate the allicin compounds)
• garlic powder or granules: recommend only adding to feed, must not exceed 3% of the diet
  • 1.5 lbs. garlic powder per 50 lbs. of feed
• chicks: 1 clove 2-3x a week for the the first 3 weeks of life, can be provided as soon as the chicks get their first meal of regular feed

For a healthy flock, they should receive one dosage of fresh garlic a week. For sick chickens, they can receive one dosage a day for up to 10 days.

The most direct way for a chicken to receive the benefits from garlic is by them eating it raw, crushed, and free-choice. Adding garlic to the feed or water does dilute the nutrients a little bit, but they are also the easiest methods to get chickens to eat garlic. Garlic tonics are also another great way to administer garlic to your chickens. Always follow the tonic instructions when supplementing with tonics.

Garlic Q&A

Can I give my chickens garlic infused oil?

I don’t recommend making garlic infused oil for your chickens. Too much oil is not healthy for your chickens and oil can go rancid quickly. It also has the risk of introducing botulism to your flock.

How can I ensure that the garlic is not affecting the good bacteria in my chicken’s gut?

While there is no way you can ensure that the garlic will not affect the good bacteria, if you follow the proper administration guidelines, you should have nothing to worry about. For sick chickens, if you feel like you are giving them ‘too much garlic’, then you can also supply a probiotic after offering the garlic. Probiotics help replenish the beneficial gut bacteria. Fermented feed is a natural source of probiotics.

Is garlic part of a holistic trinity along with apple cider vinegar and diatomaceous earth?

No, garlic does not have to be offered with apple cider vinegar and diatomaceous earth in order for it to be beneficial. In fact, both ACV and DE have their hazards and should only be used under certain circumstances.

Should I only give my chickens garlic when they are feeling ill, can I give it to them when they are healthy too?

Absolutely! Healthy chickens benefit from garlic supplements too! Giving garlic to healthy chickens will give their immune system a boost and help them maintain their health. You can give healthy chickens garlic at least once a week.

Can I put garlic on an open wound or cut to promote healing and prevent infection?

No. Don’t put raw, fresh garlic on any open skin. Allicin is a very powerful compound and is what gives garlic its poignant smell and taste. It can also burn and sting sensitive skin and affect the eyes. To avoid un-intended contact, crush the garlic away from your chickens before offering it free-choice or adding it to food or water.

How can I make my chickens eat garlic?

You just can’t. Don’t force feed your chickens garlic. Offering it free-choice gives them the chance to eat the garlic if they want. More than likely, if your chickens haven’t grown up consuming garlic, they will need to be weaned on to it.

To wean your chickens onto garlic, start with small doses. Maybe start with a 1/4 or a 1/2 clove crushed into a gallon of water or added to food. Monitor your flock to see if they are eating or drinking and only provide the garlic infused drink/food for a maximum of 24 hours at first. As your flock gradually gets used to the taste, you can increase the dosages and leave it out for longer.

How long should I let crushed garlic sit in food, water, or free-choice?

To give your flock the maximum benefits, let them have access to the garlic for up to 48 hours. After 48 hours you can remove the garlic. Sick chickens can have access to garlic at all times, just refresh the garlic every 48 hours so that they are continually receiving both the primary and secondary benefits.

How do you give your flock garlic?

I give my chickens 4 cloves of fresh garlic crushed in their 1 gallon water founts once a week, usually every Monday through Tuesday. My Svart Hona flock gets just the garlic water for Mon.-Tues. and they don’t seem to mind it. My laying flock has a water fount of garlic water and a water fount full of fresh water for Mon.-Tues. and they don’t seem to favor one over the other.

For sick chickens, I first offer them garlic water, then, if I don’t see improvement, I switch to a garlic and herbal tonic in their water.

Can I add garlic to my flock’s treats?

Yes! I recommend adding crushed garlic to chicken treats in the ratio of 1 clove per 6 hens. Of course, only do this on occasion or as their weekly garlic dosage. You can use garlic powder instead as well, however, only the secondary benefits will be received. Cooked chicken scraps, meats scraps, scrambled eggs, and fermented feed are great treats to add garlic too!

Want a supplement to give to your chickens that is anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-protozoal, boosts the immune system, improves respiratory health, and is a natural antibiotic? Then garlic is perfect! I love giving my flock garlic every week knowing that it helps them maintain good health and productivity.

Being a modern pioneer means finding natural and holistic methods to promote and maintain good health, both in your flock and yourself! Join our modern pioneer community and get healthy recipes, helpful tips for raising homestead chickens, and create for yourself a sustainable lifestyle!