[princesspiggy]

im wanting to plant apple to trees in same paddock as my goats and hens. whats the easiest way to goat proof the trees. i was thinking of surrounding each tree with 4x 5ft(once in the ground) posts and circling it in with stockfencing (for the goats) and chicken wire (for the hens), and maybe put top rail round at 5ft high to stop wire being pulled down. would this work or is there an easier way? they will be maiden trees.

[plumseverywhere]

we've kept our goats away from our plum trees (far too much valuable plum wine comes from them!!) but there were 3 apple tree's in the goats paddock. I say 'were' ... we tried lots of different things to protect them and I admit we could have perhaps thrown more money at them to protect them more but didn't have it to spare. THe goats have ripped down all fencing that surrounded the tree's an dhave de-barked all of them. they don't eat the apples though 
the top railing sounds like a good idea.

[princesspiggy]

well, this is the 2nd attempt, the first attempt was a bit lazy and we didnt succeed but the goats did. lol   

[Anke]

Unless electric I think the goats will be winning this game every time, especially with maiden trees...

We had our apple trees chickenwire netted against the hens, and they just flew up and ate thel eafs etc from the top wire, which then sagged... we moved the hens before they did kill the trees, though.

[ballingall]

To me, the two words goats and orchard just don't go together. I wouldn't use a railing along the top- the goats would only use it to prop their front feet up on and then lean over and eat the trees.....

Electric might be a better idea- a single strand of electric fencing round the top might work. I have never tried as I think it is too difficult. I would love to plants a couple of trees to edge our goat's field, and to give a little shade etc, but I think the goats would win every time, and damage the fence in the process.


Beth

[princesspiggy]

thats a shame, the chickens are fine with the trees in their orchard. would goats still pull the stock fencing down if it was 5ft high round tree and about a foot away from it and nailed to 4 posts? dont want to use electric cos the new trees would be in middle of field. thought id see wot u thought 1st. no point fighting a losing battle   

[robert waddell]

unfortunatly my only experiance with goats was when a stupid neighbour had them pissed me right of them for life
it would seem you either have an orchard or goats but not the two together you wont get better advice than from ballingall
i can still remember goats standing on silage bales 3 high with the twat of an owner laughing and saying thats what goats do

[princesspiggy]

i presume it was ur silage? our friend got alot of his haylage pierced and ruined by his neighbours cats claws.   
i will take note 
iv seen hard mesh tree guards, r they any good?

[wytsend]

Deer fencing around small trees is good.   The type you see in parkland - narrower at the base and wide at the top, wired with VERY mesh, rails about half way up and then on the top.   
The goats cannot get their noses thro' the small mesh,  and being narrow at the base they can't stand up easily.

[princesspiggy]

thanx, didnt think about the angle, so thats good.