Bee hive on coop roof?

[Anchor]

Does anyone have their bee hives on top of their chicken coop? Have any pros or cons? Or a picture to share?

We currently have our bees behind a 6 ft fence and we love that they fly mostly above our heads and current run as they leave the yard. We are moving and planning a new coop and set up….

 

[Sally PB]

Does anyone have their bee hives on top of their chicken coop? Have any pros or cons? Or a picture to share?

How accessible would it be? How secure? Will the coop support what might become a very heavy hive? Would the chickens be able to access the hive?

I, personally, would not do this. Even if the roof of my coop were accessible (it's not: it's about 8 feet above the ground) and flat (it's an arch), I would want to have the bees away from the chickens.

I do bee things with the bees. I do chicken things with the chickens. They are not remotely similar things.

 

[Penpal]

Chickens eat bees.

 

[Anchor]

I know chickens and bees are different and chickens sometimes eat bees (although many people on this site do seem to store them together with success) . I currently keep both and am not a newbie for either. If we build something like this at a future home, the chickens would not have access to the top of their coop; they need to be in the run for most of their time as we are in a city. I have to build a coop either way so I could build it with access and strength….I’m looking for anyone with this experience to share!

 

[5Australorpasaures]

It's hard enough "rasslin" a 90Lb deep or even a 40 Lb medium at ground level let alone lugging a super from off the roof. The only place for roof hives would be in an urban area and it is done quite frequently. As far as the chickens eating bees, Skunks eat more bees in one sitting than chickens would in a week Wild birds get their fair share on the wing.

 

[Mouthpear]

I say keep the separate. I don't keep bees but I know that when there was a hive near my chickens it became a huge hassle and a huge pain. Literal pain. The bees get mad they get mad and sting.

Yes I get that you have your ways to calm them down but the chickens do not. And if there are any children in the neighborhood (yeah the should stay off you property but they don't always do that) they can see you chickens and want to go to just check them out, at the same time spook the bees. legally not good for you and painful for the children.

Of course that might have been the only thing that would have stopped the vargarents, that lived in the vacant property behind mine, from killing the whole flock and taking only two birds. I mean really! Who kills the entire flock (and my favorite Roo, Michael) and only takes two birds. Maybe an entire swarm of bees would have prevented that.

 

[nuthatched]

Bees like shallow water, I'm not sure I want honey from bees that have been suckling the water from a chicken pen.
It would also attract things that like to eat honey to your coop.
You likely won't receive any experience with this since it's not the greatest of ideas.

 

[Penpal]

I hadn't thought about the weight. Would your coop be able to carry the weight? Or, you could create a separate platform for the hive with it's own tall legs and place it over the coop.

I'd like to know how this progresses.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Might as well have the hive inside the coop. Make a hole in the side of coop inline with hive bottom entrance and have the hive slide forward flush to that wall. Bees would be exiting back of coop and higher than chickens so no problems and whatever your predator protection is for chickens doubles for hive. Not a terrible idea though it limits the number of hives. You could also do an AZ hive style right across the back wall. Could fit quite a few colonies that way.

 

[aart]

although many people on this site do seem to store them together with success

Really, can you link some here?