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

[aart]

Within 2 months I would saw he was back to all his pre-implant behavior.

Did you repeat the implant application?
From what I read, it's not a one and done but a semi-yearly treatment.

@jonaeselaye maybe I missed it, but how old is your bird?

 

[Kiki]

Where on his body is the implant injected?

 

[jonaeselaye]

Did you repeat the implant application?
From what I read, it's not a one and done but a semi-yearly treatment.

@jonaeselaye maybe I missed it, but how old is your bird?

We were told by the seller 7 months but the vet believes he is between 4-5months.
He seemed moody today, the vet said it may be a side effect because of the hormone therapy, but not aggressive. Just restless. I watched him with my silkies again today and he didn't seem to want to chase them or peck them, he just ignored them.

He started crowing at around 10am today, around 10 times but thankfully he didn't start early in the morning. My neighbour mowing his lawn and nearby roadworks are muffling the sound

 

[jonaeselaye]

Where on his body is the implant injected?

I believe they put it on his shoulder

 

[centrarchid]

Hi all,

I was recommended the implant by a bantam breeder who says she has had a lot of success with the implant with her cockerels.

My Australorp x cockerel, Maya, was administered implant today, with a 4.7mg dose. In total, I forked out $280 (AUD), $110 for the consultation fee on a Sunday and $170 for the implant itself. The avian vet said there was a good chance that it would have benefits for Maya because of his age, the fact that he hadn't developed a proper crow yet and he didn't crow very often (5-6 in the morning between 9-11 am). She said that he probably isn't going to stop completely crowing but he would be unlikely to start crowing during odd hours and throughout the day out of habit. The main benefit I saw was that it would be likely to reduce his aggressiveness towards my silkies. She recommended that I get him dosed again in 6 months.

I'll be monitoring his progress the next couple of months. It's been less than 24 hours but there are a few things that I've noticed. He's certainly a lot calmer, still inquisitive and active but we let him free range with the silkies today while we cleaned and fixed the chicken pen and for the first time ever he didn't chase them or peck at them. He calmly foraged with them and left them alone. Moreover, usually when the silkies see him they panic and run. Today they didn't seem scared of him at all. Also when we got home from the vet, he crowed twice at 12pm and that was it. Didn't hear a peep from him any other time of the day.

At this stage it's unclear whether these changes to his behaviour and the overall flock are because of the implant or purely coincidental. I guess time will tell.

Coming from a biotechnology background, I find the debate of Suprelorin very interesting. Especially because there hasn't been a lot of research done on roosters and on the drug in general since it's development more than 10 years ago. If a research team is able to get the animal ethics approval (which is very difficult), it may be beneficial to conduct a study comparing the behaviourial changes of cockerels based on age and dosage (4.7mg and 9.6mg). It could shed some light on whether Suprelorin on roosters truly is hit or miss or largely dependent on age.

If anyone has found any credible studies on the effects of Suprelorin on roosters please send them to me. I'd love to have a read of them.

View attachment 1586808

That is the rooster you had treated?

 

[jonaeselaye]

That is the rooster you had treated?

Yes the rooster in the image is the one who was given the implant

 

[centrarchid]

Yes the rooster in the image is the one who was given the implant

Do you have picture of him from another angle? I see no sign of spurs and face looks feminine.

 

[jonaeselaye]

Do you have picture of him from another angle? I see no sign of spurs and face looks feminine.

He has no spurs yet, here is a photo of his body.

I also posted a thread last weekend about him when I wasn't sure whether he was male or female
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/australorp-isa-brown-and-silkies-boys-or-girls.1279451/

 

[Kiki]

He has no spurs yet, here is a photo of his body.

I also posted a thread last weekend about him when I wasn't sure whether he was male or female
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/australorp-isa-brown-and-silkies-boys-or-girls.1279451/

View attachment 1587494

I believe he is a male.

 

[centrarchid]

I agree male. He is at age where many if not most of mine do not crow regularly, if at all.