Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a perennial herb and relative of ginger, gives the yellow colour to curries in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern cooking. Some folks aren’t keen on the pungent aroma of curry, but I love it: Indian food is my favourite and I often use turmeric in my kitchen.
In addition to being a versatile spice, turmeric has a long history of use in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory conditions and as a digestive aid and liver cleanse. Western science has confirmed what some folks have known for centuries: that the compound curcumin has a number of health benefits against inflammatory conditions, microbial pathogens, bacteria, fungi and intestinal worms.
I haven’t used turmeric internally to deal with my flocks’ health issues, but I can recommend a couple of applications for external use.
One of my Bitchin’ Chickens followers, Crystal, contacted me about one of her rescue hens that had a severe case of scaly leg mites. The scales on her legs actually came off in a couple of big chunks, exposing the underlying tissue. She used a turmeric poultice directly on her hen’s leg and wrapped them. The hen made a full recovery.
Turmeric Used On Scaly Leg Mites (Crystal York) 
Dropped Leg Scales (Crystal York)
A few months later, I offered to help with four of neighbour Pietro’s hens that had bumblefoot on both feet. I’ve renounced using a scalpel to cut the lesion out, in favour of Epsom salt soaks and the use of drawing salves and triple antibiotic polysproin. I remembered Crystal’s success with turmeric and suggested we try it. After soaking their feet in hottish water and Epsom salt I applied some turmeric paste (which I picked up for free from our local food recovery program) directly on the foot pad, then bound with vet wrap and thin strips of duct tape. I am pleased to report it’s an effective, pain free way of treating bacterial infections.
Bumblefoot 
Turmeric Paste On Bumblefoot 
Turmeric Paste
On The Benefits For Chickens
- Recent reports have suggested that the efficacy of turmeric in poultry feed could replace the use of antibiotics.
- Feeding powdered turmeric to chicken has helped to improve the morbidity and mortality of broiler chickens without side effects to the consumer.
- Supplementing feed with turmeric meal effectively stimulated the digestive system, enhanced the growth rate and weight of broiler chickens.
- Increases egg production and increased yolk weight
(International Journal of Poultry & Fisheries Sciences)
- Dewormer: turmeric significantly reduced the length and width of adult roundworms in infected chickens’ digestive systems.
- Turmeric (600 mg/kg of body weight) showed healing effects and restored the integrity of intestinal mucosa in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Supplementation (5 mg/kg diet) provided chickens some protection against the negative effects of mycotoxins on the liver and kidneys.
- Ascites Support: 5g/kg of turmeric reduced mortality.
- Regulates cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Stimulates bile secretion and bile flow which maintain liver health.
- Boosts the immune system, which provides natural antibiotic capability against invading pathogens.
- Prevents the progression of inflammation.
- Repairs cellular damage.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared turmeric as a safe dietary element to be used in human diet as well as in animal feed.
- No adverse effects of turmeric meal on poultry diet when used in moderation. Be aware, that turmeric in larger quantities can act as a blood thinner, so do not give to your birds in cases of bleeding.
Credits: Everyday Health; Poultry DVM; Symbiosis (Int’l Journal of Poultry & Fisheries Sciences). Featured Photo: WebMD
Bitchin' Chickens 
Thank you. How do you use the tumeric though. Do you sprinkle it in feed, or water? And, how much?
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If you have a big flock then sprinkling it on their food isn’t very practical. I have some in my chicken first aid kit and use it for patients in the infirmary (in their food or for wound care) including using turmeric paste to treat bumblefoot.
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This article is so helpful thank you! Wanted to ask if the chickens you treated with bumble foot, had the black scab form? One of mine has the black scab and really don’t want to scalpel it out. Will the above Epsom salt/turmeric paste help with black scab formation or just the beginnings of bumblefoot without the scan? Thanks
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I used to scalpel them out, then I discovered drawing salves. Put on some gloves and try picking around the edge of the lesion with your fingernail. I’ve sometimes been able to pop them out in one piece like a carrot. Then you can fill the void with a drawing salve/turmeric and an antibiotic cream like Polysporin. Put a square piece of gauze over the footpad, using vetwrap to hold it in place. Then take long thin strips of duct tape to wrap again. It will hold everything in place and stay in place until you cut it off.
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