I live in a temperate area (Pacific NW) and don't usually have to do anything special for trees/shrubs over winter. I do have a young mulberry that is located inside my chicken yard and in the direct path of the prevailing winter wind. I think I should give it some sort of protection for this winter, but am a bit puzzled at what might be best. During the summer, I have had it protected with a tomato cage covered with mesh, to keep the chickens from pecking it, and watered it regularly. I'm thinking I will get some dead fir boughs and tie those up around the tomato cage, but am wondering if I should fill it up with loose bedding as well? I use fir chips for the chickens and have that available. Or perhaps just dry fallen leaves? Or nothing? The tree is sapling sized, perhaps 3-4' tall. Thanks for any insight.

Howdy, bonehead...
just saw this thread.

What did you decide to do about your mulberry sapling? They are usually pretty hardy here in zone 7 so wondered if your zone 8 was a bit more "unstable"...fluctuating back and forth between temperature ranges, etc.

Shoe (who knows those chickens will one day enjoy the fallen mulberries!)

Hey, Shoe. I plum forgot about this thread. I ended up putting a tomato cage around the sapling and then some meshy stuff to keep the chicken from pecking it (a bit more than I had over the summer). I also mulched with about 3-4" of dead leaves, but the chickens were able to poke their little beaks under the mesh and pretty much spread the leaves around their yard. The tree got one mulberry on it last summer - hoping for more this coming season! Glad to hear they are hardy in your colder zone, I don't see many around my neck of the woods, but I think most people are put off by their messiness. I got a white variety and don't anticipate any fruit lasting more than a few seconds on the ground. I'm actually hoping for a bit of entertainment when the berries start dropping. Have a jolly holiday.

Hah! Yes, the chickens provide plenty of entertainment by themselves, but with mulberries added to their repertoire it'll heighten it! :>)

I had a small orchard area, 23 dwarf fruit trees, and allowed the chickens access to it. They'd eat the fallen fruit, bugs, etc, and everyone was happy. I bet your mulberry will be the star of the show in your chicken pen, or at least the MC!

Hope all is well your way.
Stay warm. Stay dry!