Pat chicken dry with plenty of paper towels, remove any giblets from inside the cavity of bird and pat dry inside with paper towels.
Combine the Italian seasoning, salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl and stir in the olive oil to create a seasoning paste. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken skin, including the inside of the cavity. Set aside.
Place all the vegetables and potatoes inside the bottom of the slow cooker, creating a nest to rest the bird on. Place the fresh herbs on top of the veggies. Place the whole bird, breast-side up, on top of the veggies and cover tightly with lid.
Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the breast.
(OPTIONAL - CRISPY SKIN)
For a crispy chicken skin, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the chicken with a little olive oil and place about 10 inches under the top broiler of your oven. Cook until skin is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
TO MAKE GRAVY
Use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies, potatoes and herbs from the slow cooker and set aside on a platter. Strain the liquid left in the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer and into a fat separator.
Heat a small pot with 2 tbsp of butter until melted, over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp of flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in 1 ¼ cup of de-fatted chicken drippings until gravy is nice and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.