A couple of questions

[xSilkieLover13x]

Hi, I have a couple of stupid questions.
1st question:
I got 11 chicks around the middle of April from an auction and I had no idea what ages they were, they were all different ages. I think I have genders correct but Id like to know ages.
Here's the day after we got them.

And here's a few pics from today

Second Question:
I got a 1 year Old Black Silkie Roo yesterday. I know none of my hens are quite mature yet even tho I don't know their exact ages. If I put two in with him, will he hurt them? I do eventually want to breed him and my white hens together, but should I wait til they are mature to introduce them?


I'm still new to this whole chicken thing....

 

[TheTwoRoos]

He may start mating.Although if he is mature he will not want anything to do with a chicken who doesn't lay eggs.

He may be aggressive to them since well they have no real "Purpose" for being in his flock.


Just see what happens,never hurts to test it..

 

[Kev]

Yeah you could try and see what happens. If he is grabby and the girls scream and try to fight that then they are not 'ready' and it is kind of mean to confine not-ready girls with a roo that persistently tries to force matings. Some roosters are good in the sense they recognize when a pullet is not ready and won't really try to force matings. But it is also true that some roosters are mean to non-breeding females.

I like to wait until the pullets are laying before introducing them to new/mature roo. The new rooster will be allright by himself for a while.

I'm seeing pullets in the second picture, two cockerels in the third picture.