I am butchering the juvie barnyard mix cockerels when they are about twelve weeks old. They run with the flock until a couple pounds. The HRIR cockerels will be separated from the females when they are about twelve to sixteen weeks old. The Silkies are all running together. The oldest cockerel is covering the sexually mature hens and the other two young males steer clear of them. When the Silkie youngsters are a few weeks older, I'll separate them from the girls too. I have found pullets grow better with less stress when raised separate. I've found large breed cockerels crow less and get along better when raised together too. I guess the short answer is separation around four months old. Before they crow and start getting rowdy with the pullets.
I have to keep the HRIR cockerels much longer than I normally would with other faster maturing breeds. Only two cock birds will be kept out of the twenty two I have now for breeding. I don't want to process the extras until they are grown out and I can clearly judge which are the closest to standard. Silkies are also slow to mature but are easier to raise together. Keeping the peace will be a challenge for the next nine months.
I free range both flocks together and they remain separate. I may have to stagger when each can free range some day.
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