Fencing for portable coop

[Earthfarmer]

I have just built a mobile coop for 10 hens. I'll use it next spring to move them around my large property. I'm thinking about letting them free range without a fence in my orchard and just closing them in at night as opposed to putting up mobile electric net fencing and then having to move that periodically too. I have geese on the property for lookouts and I also put up bright, shiny objects to confuse aerial predators. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Darrinhuns]

I’d say it really depends on the flock. Some are really good at looking out. Others not so much. Maybe a good reliable rooster is something worth looking into. Also setting them up for success with places to hide when they are faced with aerial predators is key. There are many people that do free range in that way and I know in many cases it works but if you aren’t properly prepared things can turn out nasty very quickly