In a hen, large quantities of the egg yolk proteins apolipoprotein (apo) II and vitellogenin (VG), are expressed in the liver and transported to the oviduct during egg production. Estrogenic stimulation of the hepatic expression of apo II and VG is due to both transcriptional increase and mRNA stabilization. The nucleolytic degradation of apo II mRNA is prevented by estrogen-regulated mRNA stabilizing factor (E-RmRNASF). Gene-specific effects of a select panel of SERMs on the hepatic expression of the estrogen-responsive genes encoding apo II, VG and E-RmRNASF in the chicken liver were investigated. In the present study, 6-week-old roosters were treated with the vehicle, estrogen, the SERMs genistein, resveratrol, tamoxifen, pterostilbene, raloxifene, catechin and clomiphene or a combination of estrogen and a 200-fold excess of each of the SERMs. Results from mRNA stabilization studies, conducted to investigate the stimulation of expression of E-RmRNASF in the liver by these agents showed that the expression of E-RmRNASF in the liver, was stimulated by estrogen, and the SERMs genistein, resveratrol, tamoxifen, pterostilbene, and catechin, but not by the vehicle, clomiphene or raloxifene. The expression of apo II and VG from the above treatments was determined by Northern blot analysis, RNase protection assays and Western blot analysis. The transcription and protein expression of both apo II and VG genes were seen in response to treatment with estrogen but not with the SERMs or combinations of estrogen and each of the SERMs. The SERMs that stimulated the expression of E-RmRNASF, antagonized the stimulation of the expression of both apo II and VG by estrogen, demonstrating a gene-specific, selective regulation of the above genes in the chicken liver by the SERMs. The above panel of SERMs may likely have adverse effects on egg production.