Need some advice here Please! Feed Supplement Called Forco

[7L Farm]

I bought a feed supplement suggested here at BYC & was told it helped stop feather picking. Its called Forco. I questioned this after going to there website because its for horses. Anyway I bought the stuff & now I'm not sure how much to feed them & how often. I asked but got no response. Now, I'm kinda Leary to feed it to them at all. Has anybody ever fed their chickens this stuff? Should I use it or not. Thanks 7L

 

[NessyS]

Hey 7L Farm!

I too am wondering about this product after reading that it stops feather eating. I would love to try it, but as I live in Australia, it is gonna be a major investment to have some shipped out here - so would love to know more before I go to both the trouble to get it sent and spend $$$$ on it! I would love to offer some advice but I too await further info with baited (or beaked!) breath!

I have managed to find someone who is prepared to ship it but I am still pondering the dynamics of your USPS system as regards to shipping! x

 

[Debbz]

I'd be wary of using a product on hens laying eggs that we are eating, that is manufactured for a completely different animal. 'Off-label' use of any product which doesn't have printed manufacturers dosages for a particular animal often means there is no guarantee of safety for that type of animal. And where is the written safety guarantee that eggs and chickens eaten by us will be safe for us to consume? I'd ask for a safety guarantee and their 'recommended dosages' for chickens in writing. If that isn't forthcoming, or the product hasn't been safety assured and repackaged for egg-producing chicken use, why not?

 

[7L Farm]

'd be wary of using a product on hens laying eggs that we are eating, that is manufactured for a completely different animal. 'Off-label' use of any product which doesn't have printed manufacturers dosages for a particular animal often means there is no guarantee of safety for that type of animal. And where is the written safety guarantee that eggs and chickens eaten by us will be safe for us to consume? I'd ask for a safety guarantee and their 'recommended dosages' for chickens in writing. If that isn't forthcoming, or the product hasn't been safety assured and repackaged for egg-producing chicken use, why not?

Obviously, you didn't read the entire thread. I felt the same way you did. This has all been discussed above. There's a lot of products being used to treat chicken illness that aren't labeled for chickens. Heck, people here at BYC feed their chickens cat food personally I don't. People me included feed there chickens yogurt its not labeled as chicken feed.LOL. I have fed Forco to my chickens for a week. They like the stuff & I doubt very seriously that it will hurt them. But hopefully it will help them. Will , see I won't feed this forever I can't afford it. I was gonna see if it helped with some feather loss within my flock. I already have tried every other gimmick in the book. One more won't hurt. As mentioned above guess I'm the guinea pig with trying this product. I have fought feather picking for a long time. I have heard others on this site that have killed there birds to get rid of feather picking. I almost did this but didn't because I like my chickens & we've been through a lot together.

 

[7L Farm]

Debbz the thread I was referring to is under Chicken Behaviour & Egg Laying. Its called I think I found a Miracle for Feather Picking. I'm sorry go there it will tell you the whole story about Forco. I added this thread to try & learn more about the product before I purchased it. Once again I apologize.

 

[Debbz]

Debbz the thread I was referring to is under Chicken Behaviour & Egg Laying. Its called I think I found a Miracle for Feather Picking....

Thanks 7L Farm for directing me to the other thread.

 

[Tracey Jensen]

This info is straight from the Forco website. Forco is a product for horses & small animals.

How much FORCO should I feed my small animals (dogs, cats)? chickens?

For small animals (dogs/cats/etc.) suggested daily amount is:

Up to 20 lb. ½ teaspoon
20-40 lb. 1 teaspoon
40-80 lb. 1-2 teaspoons
80-100 lb. 2-4 teaspoons

For fowl such as chicken:

1 oz. per day per ten birds. Mature chickens weigh five to seven pounds so you can extrapolate how much to feed other fowl such as turkeys or geese based on weight, i.e. 1 oz. per fifty to seventy pounds of bird weight.

Hope this helps.