[camelliagirl]

A friend of mine has told me about using herbs to control lice and deter flies.

Apparently if you hang large bunches of dried wormwood (Artemesia absinthium) inside the coop, it can help to control lice.  You can also place dried leaves in hen's bedding.

Dried bunches of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) will deter flies and tansy (Tancetum vulgare) will deter mice.

This info was taken from Jekka McVicar's herb book.

[Casey76]

In homeopathic medicine it is usually the essential oils of the plants which are efficacious, not the dessicated plant itself (and although a dessicated plant will retail some of the essential oils, they usually have to be released by ingesting or boiling into a tea.  Hanging a bunch of dried plant (which probably wouldn't last five minutes in a hen house) probably wouldn't do much at all.

[camelliagirl]

I think she was meaning that the aroma of the Artemesia deters the lice rather than it being ingested by the hens.

My coop has a high roof so they wouldn't be able to reach a hanging bunch of herbs but agree that this wouldn't work for everyone.

Nevertheless I am new to all this so I don't have the experience of many of you others.  

[grinling]

I was recommended  lemon balm plant for the chooks as walking on the leaves help.
I also was told not to let the chooks out on the plot as they would eat everything, so far grass and marestail. 

[GrannieAnnie]

Is it twaddle or not though?  It's long been said to hang certain herbs up in your house to deter flies and things.

So why not in a henhouse?  No good if your henhouse is only 3ft high though, the hens would eat the herbs!!!   

[henamoured]

I keep meaning to chop some meadowsweet leaves into the hemcore to see if that 'sweetens' the coop as I know this used to be used in hay mattresses in the past that people slept on.
(... I wouldn't mention it to the girls, but I have noticed that they do seem to have some personal hygiene issues when the weather gets very hot!)

[Sassy]

Flies do not like the smell of elder (loads around in hedgerows now). I do not know if it would be poisonous to chooks. I attach a sprig either side of my horse bridle when riding and it does work - until he shakes it off!!!!!!!!!!

[Flowerpower136]

I've heard that about Artemesia, ie, it being an inspect repellant. But not sure how it's used, whether it's rubbed in as a tincture, or chopped up as pot pooy, or hung as you suggest. 

Flies tend not to like lemony smells either.  That's why citron scented hemcore is a good idea for the coop.  Not sure if it helps with lice though.
 
There's been an interesting programme on telly called 'Grow Your Own Drugs', and whilst I can't specifically remember Artemesia being mentioned, it was all to do with natural remedies that grow in gardens.  It is amazing what phamaceutical properties some things have.  In fact, you have to be very careful, as some are really powerful and potentially dangerous, eg fox gloves.

If you try the Artemesia, I'd like to know how you get on.

[Sassy]

If you grow artemisia do not put it where you want other plants to thrive as it has a growth deterrent in it which affects other plants arond it (not the artemesia)