[Buffy the eggs layer]

I bumped into my vet today at the local show and was chatting about the arrival of my sheep. he told me that his sheep had destroyed the mature trees in his orchard. I have oak, birch, ash and ornimental cherry in my orchard along with fruit trees and canes. Whats the best way to protect the trunks of mature trees?
would wrapping chicken wire round the trunks a few times prevent the sheep from taking the bark off .

[woollyval]

Sheep love fruit trees and will massacre fruit bushes! I have one field that is a woodland pasture and we have secure fenced areas of birch and hazel, mature oaks they will not touch. However you must be careful re acorns from mature oaks.

Another field where I keep sheep has fruit trees and they have tree guards around them....4 fence stakes about 2ft from trees in square with stock wire strained and even so they will climb on the wire to try and get the trees!......and most of my sheep are small ones!

Wrapping chicken wire will just help them climb up the tree and will ultimately damage the bark as it will grow into it so if you value your trees do it properly!

[Fleecewife]

It is true that you should do it properly, but as the sheep are arriving tomorrow chicken wire wrapped loosely around the trunks will help until you can do the work.   Even with proper cages built the sheep will jump for overhanging branches and leaves.   Our Soay are particularly fond of golden gages and will jump to get them to quite a height - just before they are ripe
I have found that for temporary protection, you can place four tall canes close in to the trunk then wrap chicken wire around that - the tall kind is best, or use two x 3 foot height one on top of the other.  But do remember to remove it before next season when the trees will be growing.