FINCHforum

Over the weekend I was given a herb by my grandfather who is a world renowned carrier pigeon breeder and also keeps some finches.

I witnessed his birds (pigeons and finches) consuming the whole leaves of a herb called Comfrey (Symphytum officinale). He gave me a couple of plants and the past few days I did extensive research on the herb.

http://www.miraclecomfrey.net/comfrey.html

I am interested in including the herb in my bird’s diet and wondered if anyone else used it? Just note that there are 4 different types of the herb and at least 2 might be poisonous, I took great care ensuring mine was the correct one.

Apparently its greatest advantage with birds, appart from the graet nutritional value, is that it’s greatly speeds up the healing process of injured birds and is an excellent cure for digestive track infections.

Say...that article was very interesting! I am curious as to what others will say about it. I saw the warning box at to bottom of the article...eeee! I guess we have to be really careful of using the right varitey....kind of like mushrooms....eat the wrong kind and it's good by world!

Update:

So I spoke to 4 finch breeders and my grandfather about the possible liver issue the herb might cause, all were adamant that they have never lost a bird due to liver failure or poisoning, but warned you must be absolutely sure to use the correct variety (buy it from a reputable nursery or garden centre or obtain it from someone who successfully use it). In fact since introducing the herb all record an improvement in the overall health of birds as well as a decrease in chick loss and increase in overall health, surely they all can't be wrong

Does anyone else use this or heard of anyone who uses it?

Very interesting article. I had read that comfrey tea has been used by people for hundreds of years, but I also read that comfrey was poisonous, so never tried any myself. Now I would like to do some more research into this.

Do you have any pictures of the plants ,it sounds like something I would like to grow in my garden

I found this article on a health website:

But recent research has shown that comfrey contains a toxic poison called payrrolizidine alkaloid, which may cause a condition known as hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) blocking vessels around the liver, a potentially fatal condition if left untreated. Echimidine is of the most toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids and has been found in both Prickly Comfrey and Russian Comfrey, close relatives of the common comfrey plant which does not contain the poison.

So the one I use does not contain the poison, phew!!

I'll try and post a pic as soon as I figure out how

OK here goes