I think I found a miracle cure for feather picking

Good points brought up about conducting trials on a product. I'm all for it, but the informal type, real-life trial is the best way for us.

Debbz, could you come up with criteria for us to follow when recording and reporting? I haven't kept any notes at all, having many more tasks than just feeding chickens. If this experiment is going to prove helpful to everyone, I totally agree we need to keep records of some sort. If we can all get on the same page and follow the same reporting method, it should put a good floor under the validity of the experiment.

Ok, but then there is no evidence- unless everyone is going to chart the same thing...

I'd happy chart whatever decided that isn't stressful for my birds- so weight and feather counting would be out.

I do have feather pickers (and think it's really more the roosters making each other ugly and one self picker)

I could do photo evidence (apparent comparative feather condition) but still what ever I'm feeding might be 'very digestible' and someone else might give a tougher meal, I might give too little and someone else too much- and there's no way for me to feed individual birds and leave them in the flock.

I also have a gassy dog that -does- have her own bowl- I'm wondering if these critter cause more gas or alleviate it.

Jim, if ya'll are willing to send it I'm willing to test with as much data as I can gather. I'd think as I've never lost an adult bird to anything but a hawk or injury from a possum (that was re-injured by the 2nd rooster) and I have a run that prevents that now and I have 6 weeks (one chick) - 7 years.

azygous said:

Debbz, could you come up with criteria for us to follow when recording and reporting? I haven't kept any notes at all, having many more tasks than just feeding chickens. If this experiment is going to prove helpful to everyone, I totally agree we need to keep records of some sort. If we can all get on the same page and follow the same reporting method, it should put a good floor under the validity of the experiment.

Click to expand...

azygous, I don't think it would take more than keeping a detailed chicken diary. I've only had chickens for two weeks so wouldn't know all the things to keep an eye on and wouldn't be the best person to write up the criteria.

At the very least, and in the absence of information from Forco about the sorts of things they'd like reported on, if it was me, I would begin with a chook book dedicated to recording daily observations. For example -
1. Describe the original problem with your chickens that made you want to try Forco. What was wrong with the chickens? How many were affected? What did they do and when? How big is your flock, types and ages of birds. Which birds were affected more than others? The general health of your birds. (This detailed description is most important because it's your starting point. The more detail the better. Then you can compare later observations to this original description).

Daily Observations could include -
2. When did you buy Forco and begin feeding it, and at what rate? Did you alter the rate or keep it the same? [I presume Forco is added to water? If so...] Was there any other water available or just the water including the product?
3. What other changes happened while feeding Forco? Did you make any other changes to feed and when? Did you change the chicken housing or segregate any chickens, when and which chickens? Did you get in any new chickens or get rid of any and when? Were there routine changes for the birds and when?
4. General health. Did the chickens become more energetic or more lethargic on any day? Did they get the runs at any time, or did they have the runs and it resolved? When? Daily observation and recording of the original problem, noting any worsening or improvements.
5. Other observations. Anything new or different in behaviour, health, feeding routine or something a bit different? When? Just add whatever is of interest to you and how it changed, or not, when and how?

If you haven't recorded anything so far, it may be difficult to patch information together accurately, but it's worth a try. If you're unsure of anything or the date, record your best guess with a question mark.

The original detailed description and filling in the days since then will take the most time. (Maybe looking back through this thread will prompt your memory on when some things happened?) But once you've recorded that as well as you can, the daily observations from now on shouldn't be much trouble.

And don't worry if you have to add in a few new type of observations down the track. Just add them in and keep going. At worst, if your records aren't detailed enough to be conclusive, at least you will have all the necessary monitoring criteria figured out for the next person who wants to keep trial records.

Debbz - this sounds like a splendid form for keeping track of our Forco trial. We've already ruled out a controlled scientific method. Actually, just pondering that gives me a headache.

I recommend those of us trying Forco on our flocks adopt Debbz's "Chook Book" form. Beyond marking unusual incidents on a calendar, I admit I don't keep a diary. This is a good time to start one.

By the way, I always wondered why you Ozzies call chickens "chooks". That is, until I got my latest four SS. One of them, Judy, makes a "chook, chook, chook" sound deep in her belly whenever I'm cuddling her.

azygous said:

By the way, I always wondered why you Ozzies call chickens "chooks". That is, until I got my latest four SS. One of them, Judy, makes a "chook, chook, chook" sound deep in her belly whenever I'm cuddling her.

Click to expand...

That's it azygous, similar to a noise they make. And it's what we say in a fairly highpitched voice when we call them to food. "Chook chook chook chook!"

I want to do an update on the great Forco experiment.

One of the things that has occurred is that Flo, the former champion feather picker, has substantially grown in size besides continuing to show no interest in resuming her former career of shaving feathers.

One of my four youngest, though, has started attacking butt feathers, even on high-ranking flock members. I've started to distribute Forco to the four youngest independently from the rest to make sure they're getting their share.

I am tempted to conclude that Flo, who is 25 months old, has increased so noticeably in size because the Forco is increasing her nutrient absorption, and she was undersized up to this point because of this. She is now as large as the other EE, who has always been a very big girl. I think Flo was literally starving, and that would account for her frenzied behavior and tendency to try to find nourishment any way she could, including cannibalizing her flock mates.

Have others who are taking part in this experiment noticed any changes yet that you wish to report?

I haven't noticed any major changes yet in my dogs, cat, chickens, or guineas. They all love it though. That in itself is amazing for my cat. She refuses to eat sardines- she is PICKY!

I'll update when there is something to update. Oh, and the stuff smells good.

It does smell good. I noticed that when I was opening my package.

I have a new benefit of Forco supplement to report!

At least it appears that my flocks poop, which has always been on the runny side, has solidified, all of them, into nice normal birdy-type nodules. I've been noticing this phenomena for a number of weeks now. I notice it especially every morning when I pull the poop boards out of the coop to scrape and clean them. Even my SS hen Geobett, who has had squirty poo since I brought her home as a day-old, has gone from liquid to solid. That alone would be earth-shaking.

Those of you who are trying Forco, can I ask you to pay attention to the flock's poop, and report in if you notice any changes?

By the way, Forco now has references to chickens and other avians http://forcocolorado.com/ and they link to BYC! Thanks to all the contributers to this thread for making that happen!

Good to know about the poop, azygous! I'll keep a look out. I was noticing less liquidy poop lately, but I assumed it was a fluke.

Speaking of poop, I have been giving Forco to my dogs and cat, in addition to the chickens and guineas. My beagles have always been poop eaters. Yes, it's gross and many dogs do this. Well, they no longer eat poop! Or if they are eating it, the habit has been enough reduced that I don't catch them doing it anymore.

I'm very happy about this development.