Steve, I don't believe your definition is quite correct. Granted there are variations of Linebreeding but those variations usually come in the form of Stud Mating or such.
"Inbreeding" is most often referred to as Brother to Sister matings. However, I suppose if one were to repeatedly do a Mother to Son or Father to Daughter, that would also be considered Inbreeding though I've never read where that was done. "Linebreeding" is when you mate Father to Daughter, then Grandfather to Granddaughter, Great Grandfather to Great Grandaughter and so forth. Or Mother to son to grandson, etc.
Your example above appears to be more of a modified flock mating or group mating. There doesn't appear to be any direct line that one would follow. And, in fact, it would be a form of "outcrossing" because by your own example you are going "outside" of Line 1 by crossing with Line 2, 3, etc.
"Outcrossing" is done anytime one goes outside of their line. This could be outside to another line within their own flock or completely outside their flock. I should have stipulated in my previous post that I do NOT recommend "outcrossing" by going outside your flock and bringing in blood from another breeder. To do so opens the proverbial Pandora's Box and you simply can't help but bring in a host of unknowns. Steve's example about outcrossing to get darker eggs is correct but the breeder MUST understand that along with bringing in dark egg genes, they are likely bringing in a host of other genes that may just as well set back the whole family. For example, what if one orders some hatching eggs and receives a dozen REALLY dark eggs? The recipient will likely be thrilled with the anticipation of finally getting some Wellies that lay really dark eggs. But what if those eggs also contain genes for stubs or white feathers or a host of any other undesirables?
"Cross breeding" on the other hand is done when one crosses a particular breed with a totally different breed or a variety that is not compatible. With the Welsummer there is little reason to do this outside of simply experimentation.
As for the "Joe Smith" and "Joe Blow" examples, I would again emphasize that it is more likely the "strain" that one should be concerned with - not the "line". And, while granted, if one knows that a certain person's birds routinely result in a poor characteristic, then it is likely that person is not much of a reputable breeder for that breed in the first place. And secondly, just because one gets eggs from "Joe Blow" who is "known" for having dark eggs, doesn't mean that's what you are going to wind up with! What if Joe Blow "outcrossed" and got a rooster from Joe Smith and you didn't bother asking that "pertinent question"? What if Joe Blow's best stud rooster died and he's now using a back up that hasn't been color tested yet or he's using a rooster that he knows came from hens who routinely lay light-colored eggs but he keeps those hens just for his egg customers? That's why I maintain that the "pertinent questions" are for more important than "whose line is this"?
I wish I could say that if one were to obtain Welsummers, they are in all likelihood getting pure Welsummers. However, one only has to go back thru this thread to find that may not be the case. But, for the sake of example, let's say that one has started off with pure Welsummers and good starter birds so they start with a foundational flock. (Even then, one may need to take 3-5 years to build a good foundational flock.) With that being the case, I would recommend having two separate lines. For the sake of example, let's call them A & B.
Within each line, the breeder can set one or two traits that he or she wishes to work on. Then I would recommend breeding within each line. In other words, A to A and B to B by the process of "linebreeding" as I described above. If the need arises to bring in "hybrid vigor", one can then "outcross" A to B and start a new C line. This is called maintaining a "Closed Flock".
This is the approach I've taken. I learned this by reading the articles in the Poultry Press by Kenny Troiano and I highly recommend them. Kenny has written a book and some may wish to get that as well. In the Poultry Press articles Kenny has written (which are actually excerpts taken from his book), he has outlined all the basic types of breeding plans and has given the pro's and con's for each. According to Kenny, using the process I described above, he has bred his birds for over 20 years and has NEVER had to bring in any outside blood.
For dummies like me who don't have a degree in genetics, it pays to keep it simple. By maintaining a closed flock and practicing the linebreeding method above, one by necessity limits the available genes that can be used. Ergo, one takes away over time the probability of variation and unknowns.
God Bless,
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