Hens picking on rooster?

[FOOD SOURCE]

Hello chicken fans,

I have one Rhode Island Red rooster and over a dozen hens. My rooster has always been dominate where none of my hens or guineas would challenge him. Now the tables have turned and my hens are picking on my rooster, Why?

 

[carlf]

How old is he? Is he the same age as the hens?
If he has not sexually matured, then he's just at the bottom of the pecking order.
If he is sexually mature and has previously been mating with the hens, then not sure whats going on.

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

My rooster is a year and a half old and the same age as the hens. He's mated with most of the hens and I haven't seen him lately mating.

 

[carlf]

My first thought is that he is in poor health for some reason or another..

 

[aart]

Wonder if he's molting?
Describe the picking more completely.

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

The peck mostly at his comb

 

[FOOD SOURCE]

They peck mostly at his comb*