cherry tree cage protection help ..also sweet chestnut question

[winterwhite11]

hello, I have a sweet cherry that's gives off loads of fruit but the last 2 years the birds stole the lot.
the tree is aprox 20 foot high and 12 foot wide and it is sort of fan trained flat against a fence.
can someone let me know how I can stop birds nicking the cherries..
should I just drape a big net over and tie it down with guy ropes? would that work?
should I try and hand build a cage thingy? I,m not very good at diy.
....does anyone know as well if I can prune the tree to keep it at a smaller size or is it too late for that now it has grown so large?

..............I have just bought a sweet chestnut tree.... when I bought it it said on the site that it will grow to 15 foot in 10 years...................I thought they meant that is as big as it will get ..but I think what they was actually saying is that it is a slow grower..if you understand what I mean.
I read somewhere that you can fan train a sweet chestnut against a fence but it said if touching another tree then it will stop fruiting.
my question is- do they mean it will stop fruiting if it touches another sweet chestnut tree or will it stop fruiting if it touches my kiwi vine ?
I know I sound totally thick but I am a complete novice to growing fruit/veg..thanks

[rustylady]

Hello Winterwhite, welcome to the Vine. Whereabouts are you gardening? If you add your location (nearest town) to your profile it will show on your posts and save us having to keep asking. Location information can be important when giving advice.

If your cherry is against a fence, then draping a close mesh net over it will protect the fruit. How tall is the fence? Pruning advice for cherries here Fan-trained trees: pruning established fans / Royal Horticultural Society

How big is your garden? Or wherever you are planning to grow your sweet chestnut? It's not something I would want in my garden The Woodland Trust | Tree guide | Sweet chestnut

[jayjaybee]

On my stella cherry, which isn't as big as yours I enclose the clusters of fruit in lemonade bottles with tops and bottoms cut off to make a tube then cover in old length of tights. Not always succesful, but makes me feel as if I am denying the birds