Frozen Ice Cube Treats for Chickens - Mint Helps Beat the Heat

~a refreshing batch of frozen mint ice cube treats~

Fresh clean water is the most important thing you can provide your flock - especially in the summer. Eggs contain mostly water and keeping your chickens hydrated not only is crucial to their health but assures good egg production.

But why not get creative and make some ice cube treats for your flock?

Mint, an anti-inflammatory, has natural cooling properties and acts to lower the body temperature of humans and animals by drawing body heat to the skin surface and also inducing perspiration when rubbed on the skin.  

When you eat or drink something with mint in it, you immediately feel cooler. That's due to the menthol in members of the mint family. There's a very good reason that the mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby (click HERE for the official recipe!) and a popular summer drink all over the South, along with mojitos.

~photo courtesy kentuckyderby.com~

Keeping that in mind, I created these fun frozen ice pops for the chickens to enjoy in the heat of the summer.  Even if the chickens don't "get the sensation" of the mint, it's also calming, and staying calm when it's hot can help them stay cooler.

So here's how I make the frozen ice treats:

I use covered individual freezer cube containers called Pesto Cubes (they are great for freezing individual servings of pesto too!) but any regular ice cube tray will work just fine.  Start by cutting some fresh mint leaves into each cube.  

The ducks' favorite is mint and peas so then I add some frozen peas to each compartment. Then fill with water and freeze.

Another variation that the chickens especially like uses fresh mint and chopped strawberry tops.

Here's a batch of Maine blueberry/mint ice pops.

Once the cubes are frozen, pop them out and serve immediately!  At first your chickens will view them skeptically, as they tend to do with any new treat, but they will soon dig right in and enjoy pecking away at the ice to get to the treats frozen inside, all the while staying cool on a hot summer day. 

Try experimenting with other fruits and vegetables to see what your chickens like best. 

Lemon balm is also part of the mint family and can be used in place of the mint if you wish. In addition to being an anti-inflammatory, mint also aids in digestion and helps to boost the immune system, so it's a nutritious herb to add to your chickens' diet.

Click HERE for more tips on keeping your chickens cool this summer.

Further Reading about the Cooling Effects of Mint:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/01/23/why-does-mint-make-your-mouth-feel-cool/?utm_term=.48c04edbba9c
https://www.thoughtco.com/why-mint-makes-mouth-feel-cold-607450

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