Roosters and non-laying hens

[TerrorBird]

I've had chickens for about ten years, but I'm not very experienced in terms of roosters. I've only had a few, and I owned them for several months or less before finding them a new home (not for soup). My most recent two, a Serama and a heritage Rhode Island Red, hated my elderly Gold Sexlink and my even-more-elderly mutt. The sexlink is eight and the mutt is nine; they no longer lay. I understand that they feel that those two are taking up resources that could go to the younger layers. My question is, do all roosters have this hang-up? I would love to hatch and raise a rooster or two of my own, but I don't want to do it if they will also constantly harass my old girls to the point where the seniors are stuck in the house all day. Will a rooster mellow after he hits two years and leave the non-layers alone?



Short version: do ALL roosters harbor a hatred of elderly non-laying hens?

 

[fried green eggs]

I don't think roosters hate older hens but, they do have a pecking order and the older hens will in time be moved to the bottom. Good Luck.

 

[TerrorBird]

I understand the pecking order and can see how it works with just the girls. When the RIR would see the sexlink out free-ranging, he'd charge at her and chase her right into the chicken coop. He would not even let her come out of the house. The Serama was the same way. I do have some bossy hens, but they're nothing like that. That's why I won't have any more roosters if that will be an issue.