If I close of the genetic bottle neck and just...

[EdgeC]

Free range my chickens, don't add any outside genetics and just keep incubating the survivors...adding enough chickens to be able to absorb the loss to wildlife...Could I create a free ranging breed suitable for my very specific area? I live in the Appalachian mountains... very similar to the native Jungle Cocks natural ecosystem. (Just no evolutionary traits to deal with predators, yet?)

Could they be forced to evolve in a way that they learn to deal with predators? In this scenario, I would only be incubating the survivors of every year. They would still be fed x2 daily and left on their own in the roughly 600acre plot my family owns. They would also have their own coop and be put up at night. (Predator proof).

But they would be forced to deal with any and all daily predators in this scenario (Hawks etc...)

Just a hypothetical. What would happen?

 

[Buckeye Amy]

What you're talking about is called a landrace, a subject often discussed here. Have you done a keyword search on this? I can't remember who, but a member here was working on this on her property in Florida, I think, a few years ago. She documented the entire thing so everyone could learn as she went along.

 

[EdgeC]

What you're talking about is called a landrace, a subject often discussed here. Have you done a keyword search on this? I can't remember who, but a member here was working on this on her property in Florida, I think, a few years ago. She documented the entire thing so everyone could learn as she went along.

I had not heard anything about it... I just randomly have the infrastructure, land and the birds and a large pool of genetics. However... I am still held back on ethical concerns. While I feel like it would save more lives and make a stronger breed. The thought of just throwing the birds to nature and letting nature nature... is scary. Nature is Scary.

With that said "landrace" I have a keyword to search now. (Didn't know it was a thing)

I am going to do some research, thank you. If I have any questions I will write you back here in case you may know the answer? I would like to do my own research first though. Thanks!