Bees!

[gunbarrelflygir]

Bees are NOT pests nor are they predators but, I couldn't find another place to place this post.
I live 50 miles SE of Dallas, TX and something interesting happened to me today. I was checking my chickens and found that I had a bunch of bees feeding in my chicken feeders. What I am wondering, has anyone built anything to attract the bees away from their feeders? I want them around but, not in my feeders.

Thx in advance!
GBCGal

 

[poseygrace]

Are the feeders damp? I wouldn't think they would be interested in dry food. I've never had that problem though.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have already answered one inquiry like this one, here goes again:

The days are getting longer. That means that Spring is coming. The bees know this and want to begin raising large numbers of new bees to take advantage of the new flowers that will shortly be blooming. They need to start now so they will have their population built up by the time the flowers open.

Bees only real protein source is pollen. As you may have noticed at this time of year, it is a little difficult to find many flowers and much pollen for bees to use to feed brood. So the bees fall back on any dry powered substance with protein in it. That is when the dust in your dry chicken, dog, cat, cow, and horse food comes into the picture. What you are seeing is 100% natural and normal. There are even pollen substitutes sold to beekeepers to help their bees through this pollen dearth. If you have any all purpose flour you could put a few spoons full of it out in a dry place to help the bees. Yes I realize that this is a chicken forum but I bet that you've all heard about the "birds and the bees." Well chickens are birds too.

 

[Mattemma]

I have never noticed them by my chicken feed,but I will it watch next time.I let a lot of weeds grow,so they have some early blooming to help them in the spring.Great that you want to help them.Their numbers are going down,and they really are an important part of our ecosystem.

 

[das Huhnchen]

Yep! They're in my chicken feeder, too! I came here to find out what was going on. My hens are not happy about it. Some bees have gotten into the chicken tractor, and the hens are hiding in there. I'm thinking I should remove the feeder, but I'm guaranteed to be stung, alot. I want to let the hens out, but I have to leave for an hour or so, and they can't be left out unsupervised. And sure enough, all the fine dust from the feeder is gone.

 

[BantamWhisperer]

Just sayin but I HATE bees! Lol. I will soon try and keep some, but till then, NO! If they're damp they will be attracted!

Also, I live in FT Worth, Texas! Not very far from you! Hello from a Texan to another !

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Not to get into specifics but the number of managed bee hives are going up world wide while the number of beekeepers are falling long term. This is especially true in the Western World. Have a good day.

Oh here is a sure fire way from South of the Border to test for the Africanized strain of honey bees and it involves chickens.

The Chicken Test: Let me know if it works.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-252174.html
So if your chickens are still alive, they are in no danger from bees.

 

[das Huhnchen]

As soon as it got cold yesterday evening, the bees went home. Thanks for the insight on why they were here. Very helpful. Glad I didn't exterminate them. It was fascinating to watch them, there were hundreds at midday. Hens seem fine today. No stings or anything like that.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

As the weather warms up, and more blooms open the bees will find better forage and leave your chicken feed alone for greener, or redder, or yellower, or maybe even bluer pastures elsewhere. But I always like to see them working this poor quality food source now because it tells me another spring isn't far behind.