[Sluggs]

Hi all,

Its first night outside in the garden tonight for my nine silkies, seven weeks old.
Do you have to seperate the cockerals at some point in the future or do you let them live all together. (well fluffed up now)

Do I start giving grit and can I give treats like mealworms now ?

advice please.......

[SMD66]

I would have thought that after a while the cockerels will start to tread the hens, if there are a lot of cockerels then the hens may be a bit stressed by it all and may suffer.  The cocks will probably start to fight  as they get older too.  It's more usual to keep 1 cock for a few hens

[Roughlee Handled]

Sluggs
Cockerels that have been hatched at the same time will be OK together.
I have two Cockerels with 11 hens the Cockerels are from two separate batches (4 weeks apart, 27 weeks and 31 weeks old) they have a respect for each other. There is the odd peck but that is it.  I prefer a cockerel to run with hens as they tend to keep the peace better than just hens. That is my opinion.

How many hens do you have to cockerels?  You may get loss of feathers to the treading. 
They will normally  have a hierarchy and will mostly be peaceful.

I would give them access to grit when you move them off chick crumb and onto grower pellets . It should tell you on your feed bag! Always read the label. 

I would not give them treats till they have started on grit. Do not give them bread.

What are you going to do with the cockerels?

It was a heavy frost here this morning so I would personally be keeping them in longer but it depends at what temp you have been keeping them at.

Where they still under heat before last night and at what temp did you have them at?

You should really have this book Incubation: A Guide to Hatching & Rearing - by Katie Thear
http://poultry.allotment-garden.org/Poultry/Incubation_Birds/index.php
It would answer all your questions.

[Sluggs]

I believe ive two cockerels and seven hens, they say there hard to sex at this age so I might be wrong, (silkie Bantams)
Ive had them in my garage for a while now and only with heat at night, i thought it will be best to get them out before it gets too cold.    no frost yet !!!
Ive read, once there "fluffed up" they can go outside
I checked on them last night and they seemed to be warm

I would like to keep all, but I wasnt sure about if this possible

Thanks

[Roughlee Handled]

It is all about the temperature that they are kept at before they go out.  I did it by the book.

You may have two few hens to cockerels, the only thing I would suggest is get more hens or get saddles for the hens.