Multiple free ranging flocks, while maintaining genetic purity. Is it possible?

[Sydney Acres]

20 acres is a lot of space. "Free ranging" doesn't have to mean no restriction at all. It just means they aren't penned in a restrictive manner.

I have 10 acres, and 5 of those acres are devoted to chickens. I keep 4 different genetic lines. The 5 acres for chickens are cross-fenced, dividing it into two 1-acre plots, and 6 half-acre plots. That gives me eight separate pastures that the birds can forage through. Each one of these plots is highly landscaped, so even in the 1/2 acre plots there is a lot for them to do, and they never act like they're frustrated or have nothing to do. They don't pace at the fencelines or have any stress behavior.

At times, all the hens live in one of the large pastures together, and most of the roosters live in the other larger pasture together (the ones that fight are kept in different pastures). During breeding season, I don't just line breed, I pedigree breed. I have my preservation breed (Red Dorkings) that lay white or tinted eggs, and I also have my layers that lay dark brown, blue, or green eggs. Many of the Dorkings have eggs that can be identified as coming from a specific hen -- shade of tint, shape, size, etc. There are many that are easily identified as different from another. If I have 2-3 Dorking hens that I want to breed to a specific rooster, and I can tell their eggs apart, I can put them together with the rooster, and add 5-6 layer hens that lay a different color egg, and effectively keep pedigree records without keeping just one hen with one rooster, which can cause overbreeding and stress to the hen. With several pastures available, management for pedigrees or line breeding works well. You just have to rotate effectively.

 

[ANightPerson]

Again, the switch off-method!

I'm guessing that in this case she would be mixing the breeds. I wonder why she would need to switch off though, if in this case the eggs would not be fertile. Theoretically, she could do like @Amer and let them all run around together, and then pen them when she would want to hatch...

She keeps all females of all breeds in one pen and all males of all breeds in the other, each pen is alternated to prevent cross-breeding. They're separated by sex instead of breed, and sectioned off when she breeds them.

 

[jolenesdad]

20 acres is a lot of space. "Free ranging" doesn't have to mean no restriction at all. It just means they aren't penned in a restrictive manner.

I have 10 acres, and 5 of those acres are devoted to chickens. I keep 4 different genetic lines. The 5 acres for chickens are cross-fenced, dividing it into two 1-acre plots, and 6 half-acre plots. That gives me eight separate pastures that the birds can forage through. Each one of these plots is highly landscaped, so even in the 1/2 acre plots there is a lot for them to do, and they never act like they're frustrated or have nothing to do. They don't pace at the fencelines or have any stress behavior.

At times, all the hens live in one of the large pastures together, and most of the roosters live in the other larger pasture together (the ones that fight are kept in different pastures). During breeding season, I don't just line breed, I pedigree breed. I have my preservation breed (Red Dorkings) that lay white or tinted eggs, and I also have my layers that lay dark brown, blue, or green eggs. Many of the Dorkings have eggs that can be identified as coming from a specific hen -- shade of tint, shape, size, etc. There are many that are easily identified as different from another. If I have 2-3 Dorking hens that I want to breed to a specific rooster, and I can tell their eggs apart, I can put them together with the rooster, and add 5-6 layer hens that lay a different color egg, and effectively keep pedigree records without keeping just one hen with one rooster, which can cause overbreeding and stress to the hen. With several pastures available, management for pedigrees or line breeding works well. You just have to rotate effectively.

Absolutely this.

I would veto spread out coops because you aren’t going to want to be dealing with going far between coops to do your work.

cross fencing is your best bet here. In addition like Sydney Acres said, if you enrich the areas with landscaping, the chickens will not need unlimited space. If fencing is out of the budget for now, I would personally still build the coops closer together and add runs so you can alternate ranging times until you can get fencing in.

I may also suggest a predator proof tractor situation so you aren’t tied to anything location wise until you figure out how best to manage the multiple lines for yourself.

good luck!!!

 

[littlebigwattle]

Thanks all for the input!

I keep 4 different genetic lines. The 5 acres for chickens are cross-fenced, dividing it into two 1-acre plots, and 6 half-acre plots. That gives me eight separate pastures that the birds can forage through.

Sounds like a heavenly situation! Quick question if you have the chance. How high are the fences, and of what kind? and do you cover the plots in any way?

I should note that I will be wanting to run a totally unfenced large flock because it will be doubling as my LYME tick killing team, but large pens for the others seems very feasible if the fence was electric or very tall.

I would veto spread out coops because you aren’t going to want to be dealing with going far between coops to do your work.

cross fencing is your best bet here. In addition like Sydney Acres said, if you enrich the areas with landscaping, the chickens will not need unlimited space. If fencing is out of the budget for now, I would personally still build the coops closer together and add runs so you can alternate ranging times until you can get fencing in.

I may also suggest a predator proof tractor situation so you aren’t tied to anything location wise until you figure out how best to manage the multiple lines for yourself.

Great advice. You guys have me sold on large pens at least for the penned flocks (assuming they can't get out). And for sure the movable type coops until I have the permanent plans in place.

Sage wisdom.

 

[centrarchid]

Two approaches I have used work. First where breeding groups rotated in time with respect to free-ranging.

Second requires a lot more land