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

[littlebigwattle]

I have several (starting with 3) unique breeds coming into my hands, where we will be trying free-range the flocks on 20 acres. Plus, keep the lines pure, if that is possible.

At first I had thought I could only free-range only one, and have pens for the rest. But what if the coops were super far apart? Maybe some sort of strategy like separating them in pens before selecting eggs for hatching.
Maybe they can be trained to be prejudiced in their selection of mates...

Doubtless, there are countless methods I am unaware of!

Anyone out there have any clever ways of achieving this goal? Is it even possible?

 

[gtaus]

I don't think it would be possible to let your chickens free range and keep the breed line pure. But I look forward to other comments.

 

[Amer]

Yeah, that’s not possible. I do free range all my birds while maintaining purity between breeds, however.
During December, I keep my breeding groups in separate cages within the coop to collect eggs from and hatch. Already I have hatched three times.
Usually my chickens don’t like being out in the elements anyways.
I will hatch all the way through spring and then quit and release the adults into the large flock, focusing on the growouts. They stay in portable things that aren’t quite tractors on the grass while the adults run free. To keep them from getting diseases from the older birds.
When they’re grown, show season starts. I pare down the flock to my best. Then the young adults along with grown birds are integrated. I also will show them, which means having to quarantine the show birds afterwards, of course.
When fall is over, contain again for the breeding season.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Currently I free range a mixed flock of RJF hybrids and various domestic layers. My RJFH stay pure and my layers are crossed because I only allow their roosters to free range. So those pure RJFH roosters breed my pure RJFH hens and my layers. Non or mixed RJFH roosters get culled.

I have 40 acres and in the future I plan on experimenting with a distant coop to see if that flock will intermingle with my flock at the house.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

You could free range them on alternate days. Wouldn't be the same as full free range but is pretty close.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

I should also note that my current only free ranging RJFH rooster won’t breed the layers. He seems to only prefer his own kind. But he’s an outlier. His broodmates all breed domestic hens.

 

[ANightPerson]

If you build them all suitable enclosures, you could free range each flock one at a time and keep them far away to stop them from interacting. For example, flock #1 free-ranges one day while the rest are locked in, flock #2 free-ranges the next day while the rest are locked in, flock #3 the next day and so on. Obviously, you could do it on whatever schedule you see fit. Of course, it's not ideal to have them locked in 2/3 of the time, but at least they all get free-ranged that way.

I know someone who keeps all of her females together in one pen, and all males in another and free ranges each flock every other day. To breed them, she puts them off in separate breeding pens. Still not ideal, especially with the breeding pens, but then they get to free-range half of the time instead of 2/3.

 

[littlebigwattle]

During December, I keep my breeding groups in separate cages within the coop to collect eggs from and hatch.

I like the idea of penning during winter for hatching and allowing them to free range the rest of the time...

Currently I free range a mixed flock of RJF hybrids and various domestic layers. My RJFH stay pure and my layers are crossed because I only allow their roosters to free range.

This is a nice way to let everyone out, but keep back the roosters, so that at least one line stays pure.

You could free range them on alternate days. Wouldn't be the same as full free range but is pretty close.

Didn't even think of that! This method could easily be used in a combination of others.

 

[littlebigwattle]

I know someone who keeps all of her females together in one pen, and all males in another and free ranges each flock every other day. To breed them, she puts them off in separate breeding pens. Still not ideal, especially with the breeding pens, but then they get to free-range half of the time instead of 2/3.

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...

 

[ColtHandorf]

Keeping them all out, all of the time means you won't be able to guarantee the parentage of the chicks. Personally I favor keeping them penned and allowing one pen out in the afternoon after work to free-range for a few hours before bed. In really large set-ups if there is enough space I've let multiple flocks out, usually one from the front of the property, and another from the back.

You could I suppose allow them to free-range if you pastured them inside poultry netting. But that's only going to protect them from breeding one another, not from predators. Which speaking of, depending on what breeds you're obtaining, if they are rare or heritage birds of unusually high quality, you're almost obligated to keep them penned so that predators don't wipe out those genes. Not to say you shouldn't do your best to protect all the birds in your care, just that mixed birds are not as valuable from a genetic standpoint as say a breeding group of quality birds that are endangered of being lost to the annals of history.