Rare Rooster

This Spring I got some chicks to round out my flock (it was no easy task during chick mania). I wasn't my best year. I think I got 10, more than I intended, but I had to get them at separate times. Out of 10 female pullets I got a rooster, and a severe scissor beak.
The scissors beak was doing well. She was small enough to squeeze between the door and coop. One day she was gone. I think something got her.
I have had very bad luck with roosters in the past. No matter what I did they were super mean, and would attack anyone who came in the chicken yard. When I realized one of the Australorp was a rooster, I was bummed. My policy is if they don't try to hurt people, they can stay, otherwise they have to go. So far all roosters had to go. I know it's dumb and irrational, but it always hurt my feelings to raise it, feed it, always treat it kind, and they attack me every chance it gets.
This rooster is so timid. He avoids me like the plague.  I think he is quite low in the on the pecking order. He sleeps on the lower rug of the roosting bars. It very strange. One of the hens pulls neck feathers, and his are missing.  I do wish he wasn't terrified of me, but I will take that over aggression. He would be gorgeous if he had his neck feathers, that makes him look kinda silly. I should probably give him a name, because it looks like he might get to stay.

Roosters can be a challenge. I've got one that's on the edge, but so far he hasn't crossed the line, so he hasn't been turned into compost yet...

1. Were the chicks being mothered by a hen, or being hand raised? Having adult hens teaching chicks how to behave seems to improve the odds of the boys growing up to be good roosters - no guarantee though.
We can't do that with our industrial hens, but if a hen goes broody, that can give us a pool of young roosters to choose from.

2. If a group of hens has been raised together and are getting along, you will have a "top chicken". She may, or may not, be willing to  cede her position at the top to a rooster - particularly a young rooster - with grace.

3. How well have you identified the feather plucking chicken? Does she do this when you're around? Have you ever tried shooting her with a squirt gun? You have to do it while she in the act, just like training many other animals. Chickens *really* don't like getting wet. A squirt won't hurt them, but it will send a message. Unfortunately, a hose is slight overkill. Some spray bottles have adjustable patterns, including a fairly tight pattern, so it doesn't have to be "gun shaped" to be effective. It's just the guns seem to have a longer reach and better aim!

I got chicks from my work (co-op), so I raised them.
strange enough the rooster seems to be quite low in the pecking order.
I have no idea who is pulling neck feathers. It never happens in front of me. I don't think it's still happening. I'm not sure, but some seem to have grown back, and my flock is starting to look more normal. It very noticeable on the rooster.  Unfortunately I lost 8 chickens since spring. If I forget to close the coop at night a raccoon 🦝 will eat one of my hens. Maybe the feather puller was one that was eaten. Time will tell.