I can answer some of your questions, but what works for someone won't always work for someone else. Markus Jayne's page is a great resource that I used last year.
Cooling:
Some breeders cool and some don't. The important thing to do when cooling is to make it gradual. You can't just shock their systems by suddenly lowering temps by 10 degrees. I don't think you need to wait a month before pairing either.
How many locks:
As I learned last year it only takes one good lock to get viable eggs, but more are better.
Feeding:
A medium rat every 5 days seems like a lot. I will do medium rats during breeding season once every 7 days and occasionally offer a small rat instead. I would rather they keep eating and in the past I've had females stop eating when offered mediums too often. While going off feed may be a sign of ovulation that's not always true. You need to look for other signs because some will keep eating and others will just stop eating.
To cut or not to cut:
It is generally recommended that first time breeders don't cut. I did cut but it was after the clutch had started pipping.
Hatchling care:
It seems like everyone does something different with their hatchlings. I kept mine together until they shed and then set them up in 6qt tubs. I used hopper mice because they were small hatchlings, some people start theirs on rats.
I can't help you on the question about male size. My males were young when I started breeding them and are still growing.
Mr. Lang does bring up some good points that you do need to consider, but I disagree with the whole buying from a 16 year old. If you do things right it shouldn't matter how old you are.
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