Rooster not eating and drinking, because he's distracted by the hens

[Fowl_Images]

Hi there,
This is my first time posting, but I've been a long time lurker on BYC.

Issue:
Silver Laced Wyandotte 1 year old Rooster not eating, or drinking and noticeably loosing weight. Also, consequently, noticing his wounds are slower to heal now due to the weight loss (small mark on his comb, and small cut on his foot)

Details:
He belongs to a flock of 4 (used to be 8 but flock size down due to predators). This flock currently consists of two hens and two roosters. I know this isn't ideal but the roosters get a long pretty well, share responsibilities and never had any problems. The hen's don't seem stressed, lay every day, and wear comfy fashionable saddles.

We have a new flock of 11 to repopulate (10 hens and 1 rooster ...an accident of course) they are 6-7 months and some are still too small to integrate with the old flock. I worry the small hen size VS my adult rooster size would hurt them, so we are waiting another week or two. For the past 2-3 weeks the flock of 11 have been in a run inside our garden, while the flock of 4 with Humphrey (rooster in question) were free to patrol and free range the whole property.
What ended up happening was the two roosters from the old flock getting interested in the 10 new girls and they stay very close to the new flock on the outside of the garden fence. Because of this, being this distracted, I noticed they barely come up to eat or drink or free range and forage for themselves. The main rooster will eat near the new flock sometimes, but Humphrey will pick up food and keep presenting it, never eating for himself.
I can feel him getting lighter and lighter, but since he is a bird of prey he doesn't show his weakness often.

Plan and Actions: Hopefully in a week or two we can fully integrate the flocks, so that constant distraction will go away.
I've been feeding him in the morning and night when he comes into the coop a scrambled egg/spinach dish with a blackberry and little bit of cottage cheese or yogurt.
In the morning he doesn't eat too much, because again, I feel he is distracted...but at night, once he is alone and relaxed he inhales food!
For his VERY MINOR injury..but I worry about his healing time, I've been washing his feet in a warm salt water to get dirt off, spraying some vetericyn and then putting either Bag Balm (gets expensive) or A& D ointment on his feet to protect and moisten them (they seem more dry than normal)

Questions:
Just wondering if anyone else had this problem and what they did?
Just want to make sure I am not doing anything detrimental to my bird, or the flock.
Could this be a different issue, and not just a female distraction?

Thanks so much, and looking forward to hearing from you all!

Sarah

 

[Fowl_Images]

Picture of poor Humphrey a couple weeks ago! Please drop any advice!

 

[Eggcessive]

He is handsome! Can you place several feeders and waterers in different locations to make sure that he has a chance to get enough, in case he is being kept from eating? You may have to rotate your roosters in and out of your flock, because there may be challenges from other roosters. I have had 2 roosters successfully living with a flock of hens, but one has to be the subordinate one. He may not feel comfortable eating, and have to sneak food, so it helps to have multiple feed stations. Once or twice a year Mr. Subordinate roo would challenge for the top spot, so they may fight. The new cockerel will be fine until her matures, and then you may have to remove one or two. Some people rotate their roosters, letting each one have time with the hens. Your hens will not be happy with too many roosters constantly bothering them either. When they are young, they can be a lot of trouble until they calm down.

 

[Fowl_Images]

He is handsome! Can you place several feeders and waterers in different locations to make sure that he has a chance to get enough, in case he is being kept from eating? You may have to rotate your roosters in and out of your flock, because there may be challenges from other roosters. I have had 2 roosters successfully living with a flock of hens, but one has to be the subordinate one. He may not feel comfortable eating, and have to sneak food, so it helps to have multiple feed stations. Once or twice a year Mr. Subordinate roo would challenge for the top spot, so they may fight. The new cockerel will be fine until her matures, and then you may have to remove one or two. Some people rotate their roosters, letting each one have time with the hens. Your hens will not be happy with too many roosters constantly bothering them either. When they are young, they can be a lot of trouble until they calm down.

Thanks for the reply!
Yes, the whole flock has access to food and water in their coop which is a short trot from where the new flock is.
I also put a couple spots of food for them near where the new flock is where the roosters patrol. They also have an abundance to freerange and forage right next to the flocks as well. They have 3 spots for water, not including their coop well.
I've just noticed Humphrey wont take the time to eat or drink, he just seems to be so focused on everything else.

When you rotate your roosters, where do you keep your nondominant rooster? How much room/freedom do you give them? We have a "bully pen" for time outs, but I'd hate to keep one guy trapped and everyone else free.
For sure our two roosters that get along have roles...we have one that takes on a more dominant role, but they don't fight for rights, they just seem to assimilate.
I guess I haven't been luck with pullets not being roosters...we've already had to cull or displace 4! I'm really hoping these two can stay healthy, and wondering about this third guy later on.

Thanks for your response.
Upon a supervised integration today Humphrey did eat and drink a very little while the other roosters and some hens were distracted elsewhere.