Honey Bee Sanctuary - NOT!

[Apis mellifera]

Thank you for showing me this invisible fountain idea. I really love it and will contemplate all winter long just where I’ll put it and how I’ll decorate/design it. My DH has not been made aware of this...yet.

Consider joining a local beekeeping club this winter. With bees around your property, local beekeepers can tell you when and how to set up a swarm trap for the spring. Honey, comb honey, bees wax, propolis, the rewards with both honey bees and poultry are great.

 

[Mimi13]

Consider joining a local beekeeping club this winter. With bees around your property, local beekeepers can tell you when and how to set up a swarm trap for the spring. Honey, comb honey, bees wax, propolis, the rewards with both honey bees and poultry are great.

It wasn’t long after I got chickens that we, my DH and I, decided we would get some bees. I purchased several books and magazines about beekeeping and was all gung-ho. But then reality slapped me one day when I realized that we actually meant just me. Since I do not work anymore the apiary would be 99.99% my responsibility and I’m just not completely sure I would be able to handle the job. Unfortunately, my birthdays have given me many aches and pains, one of them being my new friend, Arthur-itis! He seems to want to give me a hand with everything.

With all that said I’m just not sure I could do what was needed, especially lifting the boxes. Heck, I can barely maneuver a 50 lb bag of chicken feed.

However, I still might just try your wonderful suggestion and visit a beekeeping club. Who knows! My beekeeping curiosity is sparked once again. Thank you for your awesome suggestion.

 

[aart]

Unfortunately, my birthdays have given me many aches and pains, one of them being my new friend, Arthur-itis! He seems to want to give me a hand with everything.

With all that said I’m just not sure I could do what was needed, especially lifting the boxes. Heck, I can barely maneuver a 50 lb bag of chicken feed.

Came to the same conclusion about bees several years ago, for the same reasons.

I use a hand truck and ramp to move feed bags into the coop, then use a scoop to transfer feed into the storage can.

As to the bees in your waterers, read a story a here about bees swarming a feeder and waterer....they actually chewed a hole in the plastic waterer. Can't remember how they resolved the issue...it was a nearby keeper neglecting their hives.

 

[123RedBeard]

One way to reduce weight of the hive boxes is just use the 4.75" honey supers for everything ... and/or ask for help lifting them off when your gonna steal the honey, or take five full frames out and transfer to another empty box to take wherever your extractor is ...

 

[Mimi13]

I use a hand truck and ramp to move feed bags into the coop, then use a scoop to transfer feed into the storage can.

Ah ha, I feel ya. Generally I will scoop half a 50# bag into one 5 gallon bucket then usually I can lift and pour the remaining 25# into a second bucket...all at my truck. Most of the time I can carry both buckets to the coop, sometimes not. Damn old age!

it was a nearby keeper neglecting their hives.

I’ve lived here almost 12 years with many of the summers being in drought conditions; however, this is the first time I have ever encountered this bee problem. It is quite aggravating. I also suspect a negligent beekeeper. I mean, if I didn’t provide my dogs and horses with water I’m sure they’d begin searching elsewhere too. I feel for the bees, but dang!

 

[Henry&Friends]

Awe, I would put out extra water out for the bees to drink, preferably outside the run.

 

[Mimi13]

Awe, I would put out extra water out for the bees to drink, preferably outside the run.

I have and the bees have really taken to it.

 

[aart]

One way to reduce weight of the hive boxes is just use the 4.75" honey supers for everything ... and/or ask for help lifting them off when your gonna steal the honey, or take five full frames out and transfer to another empty box to take wherever your extractor is ...

True, and I looked into that, still pretty heavy tho....no help here at all.
..and there were other reasons too.

 

[Ginmary]

So, you know how honey tastes like whatever the bees consume? And how the chickens can get tons of food in the water when they drink...…. Does that mean that the honey from the bees in question might taste like chicken feed?

 

[123RedBeard]

Nope.

Ever see bees drink out of the "mud puddle" in a cow yard?

For Some Reason They Seem To Like The Yucky water!