how long to separate hens with rooster for hatching?

[LittleDinosaur]

Ok, so I have another question for you.

I feel like they LOVE free ranging and all race out when I open the door.. even though all the food and water etc is inside... so I feel like I am punishing the hens I want to breed by locking them up with the breeding roo... and like they are depressed being in the barn when everyone else is outside.. (their coop is inside a dark-ish barn) It has lighting, but I couldn't read in there. Should I reverse it and just lock up the hens I dont want to breed (without a rooster) and leave the breeders and their roo to room free?
Now that I've actually written it- it really does seem that is what I should be doing...

You don't have to keep the roo in with them 24/7 if you think he'll be too rough. Just a few hours here and there is more than enough for him to do his job. One full day is enough to breed all hens for a full week of hatching eggs. I also free-range normally, and my hens usually don't lay for the first day in the breeding coop, but I spoil them while they are in there. Extra treats or meal worms make them happy. It's also a fairly large coop, it can hold 18 birds comfortably but I never put more than 6 hens in at a time.