Not usually a pest, but does anyone else have this problem?

[GooseMom111]

Over the past month and a half I have had a problem with honey bees mobbing my feeders. I feed crumbles and they're walking on it and hovering in such numbers that I can hear them from a distance. The birds don't seem to mind and will eat if hungry. The bees aren't aggressive but I'm curious if anyone knows what this behavior is about. Thanks

 

[Al Gerhart]

Just some hungry bees. Watch your feed consumption, a quarter pound per hen per day, ignore roosters unless you have a lot of them. Figure out what the bees are eating per day or week, can't imagine if it is too much but what do I know.... if it is, treadle feeders can stop a bee a lot easier than a rat. If it made economic sense and I'd lean toward feeding the local bees unless it was really costing a lot in lost feed.

 

[GooseMom111]

Just some hungry bees. Watch your feed consumption, a quarter pound per hen per day, ignore roosters unless you have a lot of them. Figure out what the bees are eating per day or week, can't imagine if it is too much but what do I know.... if it is, treadle feeders can stop a bee a lot easier than a rat. If it made economic sense and I'd lean toward feeding the local bees unless it was really costing a lot in lost feed.

Thanks for the reply. I had no idea bees would be interested in chicken feed, but it reminds me of how they get covered with pollen. They're getting covered enough to have trouble flying. I have tried offering food and water to wild bees but I never saw any, guess I should have just put out crumbles, lol

 

[WingItRanch]

This happened to me for the first time this year! I did some research and it turns out bees love chicken food. The bees are seeking out protein before winter hits. They're specifically looking for the dust leftover in chicken feed. I read that if you take a container of dust and place it higher than your feeder, they'll focus on that dish.

My chickens didn't seem to mind so I left them alone. I was actually excited to see honey bees because they help pollinate my vegetable garden in the spring.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

This happened to me last Summer, they seemed less interested in Pellets so I switched to those.
I assumed they were interested in the Ground Marigold Petals in it.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Having both bees and chickens I have not had more 1-2 bees on the feed. Hives are about 15 yards from run.

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

Thanks for the reply. I had no idea bees would be interested in chicken feed, but it reminds me of how they get covered with pollen. They're getting covered enough to have trouble flying. I have tried offering food and water to wild bees but I never saw any, guess I should have just put out crumbles, lol

Are you sure the bees are wild? If they are look around for their nest, if you can locate the nest, contact local bee keeper and ask them to collect the swarm. Usually they are more than happy to help out.

 

[neo71665]

Having both bees and chickens I have not had more 1-2 bees on the feed. Hives are about 15 yards from run.

Same here but my hives are about 100 yards away. The coop is between the hives and my garden and I know the bees head that way.

 

[GooseMom111]

Are you sure the bees are wild? If they are look around for their nest, if you can locate the nest, contact local bee keeper and ask them to collect the swarm. Usually they are more than happy to help out.

I have been trying to find a nest and I could hear droning, but only near the feeders. I live in a rural setting with lots of trees and old buildings nearby, but it's quite possible they're domesticated bees. I don't believe they're africanized either, as they are very calm. But I will keep looking. Thanks

 

[Project Blue]

Why have someone collect them? Every plant around you will benefit for having bees around. My neighbor raises bees to sell honey and has a bunch of hive. They sometimes collect in numbers around my water tanks to drink if conditions are dry outside. Annoying but I'm trying to practice tolerance with nature. Experiment with different kitchen spices to get the bees out of your feed. I think cinnamon cloves and pepper will bother the bees but not your chickens.