Cinnamon for Chickens: Benefits, Dosage, and How to Add It to Feed

I never set out to sprinkle cinnamon into my chicken feed. It wasn’t some grand experiment, no calculated plan, no deep understanding of avian nutrition that led me there.

It all started because I had a sick hen, an old farmer’s advice, and nothing left to lose.

The Day I Learned That Chickens Get Colds

It was a late fall morning, the kind where the sun hadn’t quite decided if it wanted to warm the earth or let the frost stick around a little longer. Steam curled up from my coffee as I stepped outside, boots crunching over frozen dirt, ready for my usual morning check on the flock.

Most mornings, the chickens burst out of the coop as soon as I opened the door—wings flapping, feet scraping, racing to be the first to whatever treat I might have in hand.

But that day, one of them—**a Rhode Island Red, one of my best layers—**stayed behind.

She was perched on the roost, hunched up, her eyes half-closed, her breathing a little too raspy.

I frowned and stepped inside.

I picked her up, feeling her weight in my hands. No obvious injuries. No mites. But something wasn’t right.

Then she sneezed.

I blinked. Chickens sneeze?

Turns out, they do. And when they do, it’s usually a sign of respiratory trouble.

My mind started racing. I’d heard horror stories about flock-wide illnesses—birds dropping dead overnight, entire coops wiped out because someone ignored the first signs of sickness.

I had to act fast.

The Farmer’s Fix—And My Skepticism

I called up an old farmer I knew who had been keeping chickens since I was born. He was the kind of guy who had forgotten more about farming than most people would ever learn.

I described what was happening, expecting him to recommend antibiotics, some obscure concoction, or, at the very least, an elaborate treatment regimen.

Instead, he just said, "Put cinnamon in their feed."

I hesitated.

"...Cinnamon?"

"Yup. Just a little bit. It’ll clear her up."

I didn’t argue, but I wasn’t convinced.

Cinnamon? That stuff I sprinkled on toast?

But I had learned to trust the old-timers.

They might not always explain the science, but they knew what worked.

So, I went to the kitchen, grabbed the jar of cinnamon, and walked straight back to the coop.

What Does Cinnamon Do for Chickens?

I started reading about it later—after I had already given it to them. Turns out, cinnamon isn’t just some holiday spice; it actually has real medicinal properties:

• A natural immune booster – Helps chickens fight off infections, especially respiratory ones.

• An anti-inflammatory – Reduces swelling in the throat and sinuses, making it easier for sick birds to breathe.

• A circulation booster – Improves blood flow, which is especially useful in cold weather when combs and wattles are at risk of frostbite.

• A mold inhibitor – Prevents fungus and bacteria from growing in feed, which can be a silent killer in chicken coops.

I had blindly followed an old man’s advice, but it turned out there was real wisdom behind it.

How Much Cinnamon Do You Put in Chicken Feed?

That first morning, I didn’t measure. I just bit into their feed, watching the fine brown powder mixed into the pellets.

They ate it without hesitation.

I started doing it every morning.

Then I read up on it, and the general recommendation is:

• ½ teaspoon per bird per day, mixed into feed.

• Or 1 tablespoon per 10-pound bag of feed.

I probably overdid it that first week.

The coop smelled like a cinnamon roll factory.

But you know what? That Rhode Island Red recovered.

By the end of the week, she wasn’t sneezing anymore. No more raspy breathing. No more lethargy.

She returned to rushing out the door with the rest of the flock, fighting for her spot at the feeder.

I had accidentally stumbled onto something that worked.

The Takeaways from My Spice Cabinet Experiment

So, after all this, what did I learn?

• Cinnamon is a game-changer for respiratory health. If your flock starts sneezing or acting sluggish, sprinkle a little in their feed. It works.

• You don’t need to overdo it. ½ teaspoon per bird per day is enough. If your coop starts smelling like Christmas, you’ve gone too far.

• Spices aren’t just for people. Chickens benefit from natural additives in their diet the same way we do.

I started this whole thing as a one-time fix for a sick hen.

But now?

Now, I mix cinnamon into my feed regularly.

Because the best lessons in chicken keeping aren’t the ones you read online.

They’re the ones you learn by accident—when you’re desperate, when you’re out of options, and when an old-timer gives you a piece of advice that you don’t quite understand yet.

I didn’t set out to make my coop smell like cinnamon toast.

But I’ll be damned if it doesn’t smell better than ever.