I have a small flock of four ladies in a typical suburban sized backyard. I would like to start bee keeping this spring. Nothing extravagant; just a single hive. Does anyone know of issues with keeping bees and chickens within close proximity? Will the chickens eat the bees?
I have 2 hives between 2 coops. I was afraid if the chickens discovered the bees when they free range that I'd have world war III but haven't really had an issue. I do try to keep the chickens away by not including the hive area in any pens but they wander there some times.
I used to have an apiary (bee-yard) next to cockyard. Bees and birds got along fine. Problem was with mowing and having to dodge rooster pens while in bee flyways. I was the one most likely to get stung. Will be getting more hives this spring. Apiary will be kept well away from cockyard and where extremely tame free-ranging flock goes. The free-ranging birds may be inclined to eat bee grubs when I work hives. I do like to feed chickens excess drone larvae which causes problems with birds that really like them.
Thanks, Centrarkid and ChickenCanoe! I had a mental image of the girls clustered around the hive snatching bees as they exited. Lord knows they've eaten every other living thing in my backyard except my cats, and they've been eyeing them lately
