using a contraceptive implant (made for dogs) to stop crowing...Anyone ever heard of this?

[Kiki]

Hi everyone,

I have a 3-year-old hen that over the past 3 months has started looking and behaving more and more like a rooster. She's now got saddle feathers, growing iridescent tail feathers and tiny spurs starting. She looks like a young rooster now.

Long story short, she's been crowing for a couple months. Started irregularly and not very crow-like and now she full-on sounds and crows like a rooster all the time. The avian vet says it's probably a tumor on her left ovary (mature female birds apparently only have one functional ovary). I've decided to try the Deslorelin implant. If it doesn't work we will have to get rid of her because of the city laws here.

I thought people might be interested in the results, so I thought I'd post updates as it goes. I'll post some pictures separately later.

I can't wait to see her pictures.

 

[Leo1]

I've used deslorelin in many hens and one roo. The implant can also be given sub q in the breast. Safer and easier that way, it can't end up in an air sac. In hens it only lasts 6-8 weeks with the 4.7 MG, which is all that seems to be available in the states. With roos, I'm unsure how wrong it last. Gave one to my 7 y/o roo because I only had one hen and he was terrifying her. Stopped his mating behavior immediately. His comb shrunk and got paler. He needed a second after about 2 months, but hasn't needed another and it's been 4 months since his second. It hasnt stopped his crowing, but severely limited it. I live in an area where im not allowed roos. He has to live inside, but im now able to get him out during the days, without him crowing. He no longer crows before dawn, but instead waits until after i get up.
The implant will trigger a molt; I saw that someone asked that. The first implant will cause more of a molt and it lessens with each subsequent one. I have 2 cockerals that are 2 weeks right now, I think anyway, still hoping I'm wrong. They will be getting implants the second I'm positive and we will see if it stops the roostering all together and if it lasts longer if given before maturity.
This has been life saving for several of my hens. It's expensive and unfortunate that it doesn't last long. If a vet tries to tell you, it will last a year or 6 months, in a hen, do not believe them. The larger dose may, but the 4.7 will not. Hope this helps!

 

[greggooo]

We are about to also try this. Our vet is a very skilled avian vet and is very willing to try it. We don't mind the crowing as much as the excessive mating. He's a beautiful boy that we accidentally hatched, and we are trying our best to keep him.

 

[SavvySilkieMom]

I have 2 silkie roos at about 6 weeks old that just got the 4.7 implant. Cost me 591$ for both. Neither has crowed yet or grown spurs or facial features of rooster. I will keep you updated it's going to be 1 week on Monday the 17th. That's when the bet said it will be kicking in. Will reply here soon for further discussion ♡

 

[Leo1]

Thought I'd give an update and will update as he ages. My barred rock cockeral is now 13 weeks. He started crowing at 7 WEEKS! I gave him an implant immediately. After the first one, he continued crowing, which let's be honest wasn't a crow, but only when he couldn't find the girls and not everyday and never at dawn after he had the implant. At 12 weeks he started to go after my older girl, so I gave him another implant. Haven't heard him crow since and he's no longer going after my girl. I've thought, for a long time, that they need the larger dose, and now I'm pretty positive. I will let you all know if it continues to work, if he still acts like a flock protector, and how long it works for. I am going to guess the second dose will carry him longer, so for now, I suggest to everyone trying it, don't give up after one, if it wears off quickly. I'm also going to guess he won't be a good protector, but that's my speculation based on behavioral changes I saw in my other roo and in this boy. I'm able to get them at cost and implant them myself, so $525 for 5 implants. Although, they keep raising the price.

 

[SavvySilkieMom]

Thought I'd give an update and will update as he ages. My barred rock cockeral is now 13 weeks. He started crowing at 7 WEEKS! I gave him an implant immediately. After the first one, he continued crowing, which let's be honest wasn't a crow, but only when he couldn't find the girls and not everyday and never at dawn after he had the implant. At 12 weeks he started to go after my older girl, so I gave him another implant. Haven't heard him crow since and he's no longer going after my girl. I've thought, for a long time, that they need the larger dose, and now I'm pretty positive. I will let you all know if it continues to work, if he still acts like a flock protector, and how long it works for. I am going to guess the second dose will carry him longer, so for now, I suggest to everyone trying it, don't give up after one, if it wears off quickly. I'm also going to guess he won't be a good protector, but that's my speculation based on behavioral changes I saw in my other roo and in this boy. I'm able to get them at cost and implant them myself, so $525 for 5 implants. Although, they keep raising the price.

Anyway you can help us out with they way you are getting the implants?
Where I am, only vets can get them.

 

[BecksBirbs]

This is a really interesting thread, thank you all for sharing! I wonder if this might work for my drake Pekin. I love him so much and he's a sweetheart, but he has started to chase down our hen chickens and I'm worried he's going to overmate my other female duck. The two ducks are a bonded pair and I don't want to separate them. I would also love to be able to give the ducks and chickens free range time together without fear of him hurting the hens. They all grew up together and are very close. All of the birds are 8 months old. The hens only recently started laying.

 

[SavvySilkieMom]

This is a really interesting thread, thank you all for sharing! I wonder if this might work for my drake Pekin. I love him so much and he's a sweetheart, but he has started to chase down our hen chickens and I'm worried he's going to overmate my other female duck. The two ducks are a bonded pair and I don't want to separate them. I would also love to be able to give the ducks and chickens free range time together without fear of him hurting the hens. They all grew up together and are very close. All of the birds are 8 months old. The hens only recently started laying.

there are 2 dosage of implant 4.7 and one with more. If he is fully grown vet says higher dosage is recommended. My 2 silkie roos are best buddies and only a few months old so they havent developed rooster habits like crowing yet, so we did the lesser dosage.

 

[Leo1]

You do need a vet to get them for you. I've heard rumors of being able to get them straight from Australia, but have yet to figure out how. Im also thinking the 9.2 mg dose is not available in the US. I've yet to track it down. I have a good relationship with my vet, so I get them at cost. The other vet I was going to was charging me a couple hundred per implant and then decided she would only do it with anesthesia, which is ridiculous and unnecessarily risking the life of the bird. I haven't tried it on an aggressive bird, as I haven't had one. Aggression is usually pushed by testosterone, so I'd think it would be at least worth a try. If it's behavioral, it probably won't work. Personally, I'd give it a try, keeping in mind you may need two.

 

[bhawk-23]

Do you have an update? We are considering keeping a rooster we hatched but do not want to upset the neighbors. Roosters are allowed though. We would consider it if the rooster still has a protective instinct (to alert the hens of hawks, not physically protect them) and also grows the beautiful plumage roosters are known for. We do not want to breed so sterilization would be ok if it is a side effect. Lastly, did their demeanor stay docile? Thank you for any information you can offer!!

Thought I'd give an update and will update as he ages. My barred rock cockeral is now 13 weeks. He started crowing at 7 WEEKS! I gave him an implant immediately. After the first one, he continued crowing, which let's be honest wasn't a crow, but only when he couldn't find the girls and not everyday and never at dawn after he had the implant. At 12 weeks he started to go after my older girl, so I gave him another implant. Haven't heard him crow since and he's no longer going after my girl. I've thought, for a long time, that they need the larger dose, and now I'm pretty positive. I will let you all know if it continues to work, if he still acts like a flock protector, and how long it works for. I am going to guess the second dose will carry him longer, so for now, I suggest to everyone trying it, don't give up after one, if it wears off quickly. I'm also going to guess he won't be a good protector, but that's my speculation based on behavioral changes I saw in my other roo and in this boy. I'm able to get them at cost and implant them myself, so $525 for 5 implants. Although, they keep raising the price.