In Breeding; It’s a Family Affair.

[Shadrach]

I use a multi coop chicken keeping system.
Each coop has a group of chickens I call a tribe living in it.
Each tribe comprises a senior cock and his hens; there may be junior cocks and cockerels, pullets and chicks in the tribe.
The tribes are free range during the day. They range over 4 acres by choice. The more tribes, the greater the overall range is.
The tribes are built around a family unit. The members of the tribe are usually related.
Once a tribe is established there is little movement of hens or cocks between the tribes.
The chickens choose the tribe they live with. I don’t force the chickens to join a tribe.
In the event that a chicken, or group, don’t join an existing tribe I make a another coop and a new tribe begins.
This can happen when there are spare hens and a junior cock for example.
Tribe size settles between 4 and 7 chickens per tribe.
The only population adjustment I make is when there are too many males in a tribe. These get eaten.
Seniority (pecking order) it based on age
Because these tribes are genetically related and exist as separate units there is inbreeding; they mate with their relatives.
I try to let every hen sit and hatch at least once in her life.

If the senior hen sits and hatches, assuming the cock that fertilised her egg is the senior cock, then in effect you have one generation of inbreeding. If however the senior cock mates with one of his daughters, then you have two generations of inbreeding and so on.

How many generations of inbreeding does it take before you risk getting genetic abnormalities?

 

[Rysktal]

How many "tribes"/coops do you have currently?

I'm not sure about the inbreeding...I feel like it's not that big of a deal among chickens.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In line breeding, usually 7 generations before an outcross. But those that do so are diligent about selecting the best traits and culling hard if anomalies occur. It doesn't sound like that is the goal of your setup.

 

[Shadrach]

How many "tribes"/coops do you have currently?

I'm not sure about the inbreeding...I feel like it's not that big of a deal among chickens.

I've got three tribes at the moment.
It could be four in a few weeks. One of the cockerels from Tribe 2 has been trying to impress a young hen from Tribe 3. They were out together this morning.
I've had a maximum of five tribes in the past.
Unfortunately, if the senior cock dies the tribe tends to break up.

 

[Shadrach]

In line breeding, usually 7 generations before an outcross. But those that do so are diligent about selecting the best traits and culling hard if anomalies occur. It doesn't sound like that is the goal of your setup.

No, it isn't the goal. I am considering at some stage, trying to rescue some of the Catalan chickens that get dumped in the woods when people don't want them anymore.
If one of the cocks shows any interest in them then it would be one way of getting new blood here.
I've got a way to go before I get to 7 generations.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do your tribes consist of exclusively Catalans or are they barnyard mixes?

 

[Shadrach]

Do your tribes consist of exclusively Catalans or are they barnyard mixes?

Tribe 1 was/is primarily French Maran. Out of the original Marans only one 'pure' Maran is left. The rest of the tribe are Maran and Bantam crosses now.
Tribe 2 is exclusively Bantams.
Tribe 3 are Maran Bantam crosses with dominant Bantam genes.
Tribe 4 was Catalans but they are all dead now.

 

[centrarchid]

I have watched similar in past with games. Will relate that later. Most of my social groups are managed but you can see where dynamic of who associates with who would play out if allowed. Some really cool stuff that most do not see because of artificial pop structure enforced.

 

[Shadrach]

I have watched similar in past with games. Will relate that later. Most of my social groups are managed but you can see where dynamic of who associates with who would play out if allowed. Some really cool stuff that most do not see because of artificial pop structure enforced.

Yes, but you're about the closest to my system so far here.
I'm sure there are others, maybe not multi cooped, but free range with group structures.

 

[Rysktal]

Hmmm I suppose I am doing a variation of this, except it's one coop split into 3 sections for 3 different groups. Everyone is out in the run together during the day.