Chicken nesting box herbs

Diana Clauss owns The Blue Feather Farm, in St Cloud, Florida, home to chickens, ducks, goats, and Anatolian Shepherd dogs.

- Susie Kearley

Living on a farm was Diana’s dream, and chickens became a part of that reality. She soon discovered that nesting box herbs helped her birds to relax and settle. “It had been a dream of mine and my husband’s to buy a home with property so we could have farm animals,” explains Diana. “My grandparents had a farm, so I guess you could say it’s in my blood. Once we did that, we anxiously waited for chick season and bought a handful of chicks and ducks, with the intention of egg production. I was so excited when they were old enough to lay eggs and we ended up incubating some for hatching. It was then that my daughter decided to show ornamental chickens in poultry shows around the state”.

The family’s chickens won awards in a range of categories at the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show’s Poultry and Rabbit Show 2018. Her Cockerel Klaus brought home Best of Breed, Best Variety and Best of All Other Standard Breeds, while her hens, Kate and Pablo, won Best of Breed and Best Variety awards.

Healthy hens

Back at the farm, Diana likes to use natural methods to keep her flock healthy. She has a range of nesting box herbs, which she says, have many beneficial properties - they can repel pests, boost immunity, reduce stress, and improve overall health.