Bullied Roo?

[SSFowler]

I have 'adopted' a rooster (mixed breed) that wandered over from the neighbors and decided not to go back. Recently I have been noticing his neck feathers are thinning and his longest tail feathers are gone. I was watching him for signs of illness because I was unsure of the cause. He shows no sign of illness, thankfully. But, what I did notice yesterday was my golden sexlink would bite and peck at his neck. Then later last night I closed the pen and coop well after dark (we were very close by so I wasn't too worried about their safety). Shortly after that we noticed the rooster was roosted on a shelf in a dark section of the barn. We corralled him and got him in the coop. He has never not gone in with the girls when access is available. I later wondered if I should have let him stay in the barn.
What could be causing the poor guy to be bullied like this? I am hoping it is something I can correct.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old is he? Sounds like he's molting to me.

 

[SSFowler]

Just a guess is he is about a year or year and a half old.

 

[aart]

We corralled him and got him in the coop. He has never not gone in with the girls when access is available. I later wondered if I should have let him stay in the barn.

Just a guess is he is about a year or year and a half old.

He's molting, and isolating. New pin feathers can be 'uncomfortable' so birds may not roost with the group. I have several doing that now....but my coop is big enough that they can choose a roost farther away.

 

[SSFowler]

I wasn't aware they isolated themselves when molting. Makes sense though, especially if a hen is picking at it. Thanks for the insight.