We're new bee keepers, honey bees of course. We have two hives, just got the bees last week. They are in the field where the chickens free range but inside a large wired cage area, to keep the chickens and guineas far enough away to keep both the bees and the birds safe. Yesterday our polish roo managed to scale the fence and get to the hives. There was only one spot about 3 feet by 1 foot that wasn't covered with wire yet (over the gate). Curiosity? We got him out as soon as we saw him and all was fine. Today we noticed he was trying to find a way into the pen but we were pretty confident he was safe. This evening I was 'walking the grounds' to make sure all was well before dark and found dear Henry in the bee hive area with bees totally covering him, at least several hundred bees. I guess he totally ticked the bees off, trying to find food for his girls? or protect his flock? He was good for that.
Since the usually calm honey bees were agitated, I ran inside and suited up - bee style, and by the time I got back outside - only a few minutes- it was almost dark. Usually the bees are all inside the hive by then. There were still 10 or so bees on Henry. I brushed them off and carried him up to the house. He had so many beestings on his usually bright red and large wattles that they were bleeding, oozing, and almost black. I found stingers all over him. I still had my bee gloves on as you can still get 'stung' even though the stinger isn't attached to the bee. We couldn't let Henry suffer what clearly looked like a slow but sure death so we used starting fluid to put him to sleep. My husband just sprayed it on an old rag and held it close to Henry's battered face. It only took a minute - what a long minute- or two for Henry to die. Can't do anything for him now but wanted to let you know this can and did happen. My guess is that Henry had over 100 stings just looking at the still attached stingers. First task tomorrow, make the bee pen, bird proof. We sorta expected the guineas to be curious, they weren't, but never dreamed this would happen especially to Henry. wow, he was a real fav.
Since the usually calm honey bees were agitated, I ran inside and suited up - bee style, and by the time I got back outside - only a few minutes- it was almost dark. Usually the bees are all inside the hive by then. There were still 10 or so bees on Henry. I brushed them off and carried him up to the house. He had so many beestings on his usually bright red and large wattles that they were bleeding, oozing, and almost black. I found stingers all over him. I still had my bee gloves on as you can still get 'stung' even though the stinger isn't attached to the bee. We couldn't let Henry suffer what clearly looked like a slow but sure death so we used starting fluid to put him to sleep. My husband just sprayed it on an old rag and held it close to Henry's battered face. It only took a minute - what a long minute- or two for Henry to die. Can't do anything for him now but wanted to let you know this can and did happen. My guess is that Henry had over 100 stings just looking at the still attached stingers. First task tomorrow, make the bee pen, bird proof. We sorta expected the guineas to be curious, they weren't, but never dreamed this would happen especially to Henry. wow, he was a real fav.
