Honey Bees & chickens??????

[Ryu]

I lost one of my favorite roosters to a bee sting in his throat this year (I found the bee below the sting). Very sad. He was very sweet, but a bit of a dork. Maybe a one in a million with the sting, but he was a very valuable bird. I am moving the bees in the spring.

 

[redfeather]

Fanny's Mom :

Not only do I have both chickens and bees, but the hives are in the chicken run! I did that purposely because there's a new bee pest called the small hive beetle that pupates in the soil under the hives. The chickens scratch up and eat the larva!

Oh cool, so that is what I was thinking about, them being beneficial and all.

I really want a few hives, and my coop is large enough to accomadate them. The coop will be a bonus as it has it's three tier electric fence surrounding it, ect xD​

 

[happyhappy]

Quote:
Same here, I have been keeping these fascinating little beneficials for about 10 years now and have had anywhere from 1 to 10 hives in my city backyard. They are not light work for a women anyway that's how I blew out my back lifting 75 lb. boxes of honey. But I can't stop this earth needs them and we like to garden soooo.... I recommend it to anyone that is interested. Start small that may not last. I am on 911 dispatch here in Napa, CA and it's a great chance to edjucate the peeps, who would normally be terrified. It's funny to see my husband dive into the honey when time to extract he is a nut and can't stop eating it. Then when were done and everything is covered with honey, door handles, chairs tables sink facet, you name it . He falls asleep from the sugar high.

It's great for allergies and he eats some on his muffin for breakfast with an egg every morning. I recommend it to everyone! Check your own areas regulations for locations but ours are not in town and in the country where I have a few it's not within 200 yds of a primary residence front door!

Go for it! You won't be sorry, and you'll gain friends! Lots of them. Sidebar I have been stung so many times I no longer suffer from the sting. And Woodmort is right it's great for my RA not that I would kill them just for that.

 

[flgardengirl]

Wow, I never thought about there being more than one kind of honey bee. Okay, so now I have to research which kind would be good for the hot humid south (Florida)..Is there a type of honey bee that would be more resistant to the influence/infiltration of the africanized bees that would be good for the south?

Btw, dh was just out mowing and hit a bees nest and got stung about 6 times. I had just told him the day before that I wanted bees LOL! Now he's like 'Hell no" lol! But we will be getting some if I get my way. I told him, "At least if we kept our own, you would *know* where thier hives were."

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Here is a good thread on beekeeping here on BYC...I have been following it for awhile as I also would like a hive this coming year.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=310974

edited due to misspelled word

 

[cobrien]

Does anyone know if it would be wise to put a bee hive on a roof? I live in an urban area and have a day care at one end of my property (an 8,000 s.f. lot). If I put the hive at the opposite corner from the day care, it would be close to the sidewalk - not a very busy one, but people do walk by occasionally. However there is a spot on my roof, only 10' above the ground, that is nestled in a valley of the roof so it is protected from wind. I think I could comfortably work on the hive if it were up there, with about 5' of work space around the hive. Does that sound ok? Or would it be okay by the sidewalk? Or do I not have a good place for bees...thanks for your help.

 

[Keara]

Quote:
Bees have an area in front of the hive entrance that they protect. I goes out about 10-20ft from the entrance of the hive. Lots of urban Bee keepers keep hives on the roof, so that should be fine, as long as it does not get too hot up there. However with a daycare you may have liability issues...... Please remember that the bees will search out an area, close to the hive to drink. You don't want it to be your neighbors pool, or your dogs water dish. Bees drinking are very likely to sting!, make sure you keep a water source for them near the hive, that kids and animals don't have access to.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
This is how bees get a bad name. What your dh hit was a wasp nest, probably yellow jackets, that are not bees. They are nasty carnivorous insects that nest in the ground. I doubt very much as he would have been mowing up in a wild bee tree and a domesticated bee hive is pretty easy to avoid.

 

[flgardengirl]

I think you are right. The other day I picked up a glass of water in our carport and there was a wasp on the other side of the glass where I couldn't see it and I got stung good lol. It isn't too far from where dh got stung. I don't remember seeing any stingers in his arm or dead bees around so it was prob. wasps too.

 

[mdbokc]

Consider Mason bees if you are wanting the pollination of an orchard or large garden. No honey, no stings but good pollinators. Also native to the USA and not affected by potential Africanized bees.