Honey Bees around chickens?

[MtnCkn]

Has anyone kept honeybee? I was wondering if the chickens would look at the bees as food? But also don't want the chickens being attacked b the bee say if the forage close to the hives. Thanks for the help.

 

[mekasmom]

Usually you just keep them in separate places. On a small acre plot for a yard, it is big enough to keep the separated far enough to not cause any problems. If you have that much room, you will be fine, just put the hives at one end and the hens pen at the other. Even if you have less land, then you could probably still keep them far enough apart to be safe. You can even keep the bees out of the yard, in the timber you own, and they will be fine. I would't put them on the edge of any tillable fields where you will be working regularly.

 

[keesmom]

I have both bees and free range birds. They don't bother each other.

 

[dianneS]

Quote:
That's good to know. I'm thinking of getting bees but will be keeping them in a different location than the chickens, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, I've had my chickens completely eliminate the carpenter bees that were drilling holes in my barn! They are bigger and slower than honey bees, and my hens would snatch them right out of the air and gobble them up! I have no carpenter bees at all anymore!

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I have both in a small yard. They scratch around the hive, but I've not seen them actively hunting the bees. Nor have a seen the bees hunting the chickens. They seem to get along just fine.

The dog certainly learned his lesson around the beehive...