Hens plucking the roosters?

[WhenInRhome]

I ended up with 2 roos and they are maturing. I was planning on giving them away when they were prettier with their longer feathers, but I noticed lately they are looking a little bare. Yesterday I watched 2 different hens picking the long feathers off the roos tails. Why would they do this? They just started crowing within the last few weeks and I have seen them mount a few hens, but I am not sure they really have it down.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they aren't confined to too tight of quarters, I'd suggest it is nutritional.
Feathers are 92% animal protein and feeds run around 15-18% vegetable protein. If they are eating anything else other than their feed, it could be reducing the overall protein intake and the hens are eating the feathers.
If my guesses are correct, up the protein for a while.

 

[WhenInRhome]

They only pick on the boys. They don't eat the feathers either, they spit them out. I feed them mealworms with their feed every day too.