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Zoology Science Fair Project

Synthetic Steroids and Chicken Growth

Hard
Synthetic Steroids and Chicken Growth | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
What happens to a chicken's growth when it receives synthetic steroids? Sixteen chickens were divided into four groups. One group received no treatment and served as the control. The other three groups each got a different steroid at the same dose. Every other day the chickens were weighed over a 45-day period. The steroids were given starting at day 33. The control group gained the most weight. The groups receiving steroids gained less. Depo-medrol had the strongest effect on slowing weight gain. This result matched the prediction from a previous year's experiment.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the group receiving the steroid, Depo-medrol, will gain the least amount of weight.

Science Concepts Learned

Steroid Effects on Growth

Synthetic steroids can change the way living things grow and gain weight — and chickens make a measurable test subject. Sixteen chickens were divided into four groups. One group received no treatment and served as the control. The other three groups each got a different steroid at the same dose, starting at day 33 of a 45-day period. Every other day, each chicken was weighed. The control group gained the most weight. As a result, the groups receiving steroids gained less. Depo-medrol had the strongest effect on slowing weight gain, a result that matched the prediction from a previous year's experiment.

Method & Materials

You will need to obtain 16 chickens and divide them into four groups. Each chicken will be marked with a color and weighed every other day for 45 days. At the 33 day mark, groups B, C, and D will be administered the separate steroids at 2mg/ml for the individual weight. Group A will receive no steroids.
You will need 16 chickens, 4 groups, a marking system, and steroids.

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Results

The results of the experiment did support the hypothesis. The other groups receiving steroids were stunted to an extent, but the Depo-medrol had the most effect on the weight gain. The Control Group, Group A gained the most weight because it received no inhibitor.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it shows how steroids can affect the growth of chickens, which can be applied to other animals as well.

Also Consider

Variations to consider include testing different doses of steroids or testing different types of steroids.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
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