chickens and honey bees??

[Hillschicks]

We have a couple dozen chickens... This spring we are adding honey bees... Are the chickens going to eat the bees??

 

[fishnet1971]

i have wondered that same thing. i have a bee keeper across the street from me, and more than once I have had a hive come over to the house and try to 'relocate' on the side of my house. I was scared to death that they would get stung. I didnt have an issue with it, but the chickens also left them alone. I am curious to see what anyone else has to say.

 

[Hillschicks]

Honey bees are defensive stingers... With the exception of africanized bees.. Hey sting because you sit on them or something, i doubt they will bother the chickens unless bothered first.. My worry is my chickens will eat my expensive bees

 

[chfite]

I have watched my chickens foraging with the bees going from flower to flower at the same time and place. They don't seem to notice the bees and vice versa.

Chris

 

[windzbreezy]

I traded three polish roosters a buff laced, black crested white polish & white splash for a swarm today

 

[ErinG]

We used to keep our chickens pretty close to our two hives, and let them free range around the hives. They knew to keep their distance and it was a non-issue. As someone else said, honeybees are not quick to sting. They seemed to leave each other alone and we had no problems.

 

[Hillschicks]

Confirmed.. After 2 months with our bees, the chickens couldnt care less about the bees.. The verdict: Chickens and Bees go together just fine

 

[cosmo1104]

Confirmed.. After 2 months with our bees, the chickens couldnt care less about the bees.. The verdict: Chickens and Bees go together just fine

yupp, I literally have 4 hives less than 10 feet from my coup but on the opposite side of a privacy fence. Even if the chickens are snagging a few bees, they only live 30 days anyways so not a big loss. Most bees travel 3-5 miles collecting pollen and nectar

 

[Fireantz iceman]

45 chickens with 4 hives within 15-40 feet....never had a problem....even with my free range birds. Nature takes care of each other.... God knows what He is doing! The hens keep the help hive areas clean.