The Honey Factory

[MarkJr]

STupid question. If you have chickens and bees, are the chickens smart enough to leave the bees alone for the most part? Or is this just asking for trouble?

Aaron

Chickens seem to leave them alone. Mine will pick through and eat all the larvae that are packed out by the colony, but dead bee bodies are left well alone.

 

[Ascholten]

So in theory, if I did want bees, besides for other logistics, having them and chickens, they should be smart enough to leave each other alone for the most part? Good to know! My buddy wants me to get a hive, I LOVE the concept of it and have been doing research but it seems like a bit of work right now, and sadly that's one thing I do NOT have is a ton of time, I am stretched in 20 directions as it is right now, don't need another 'critter' demanding my attention at this point. Maybe soon in the future.

Aaron

 

[CLSranch]

My bees are officially dead. Nearly 40 and no activity.

Sorry to here that. Gold Star Honeybee's still has some for sale.

. If you have chickens and bees, are the chickens smart enough to leave the bees alone for the most part? Or is this just asking for trouble?

It can actually bee good to have chickens near bee hive's to eat the hive beatal and larvae.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am buying mine locally. However, the problem is finding bees that are truly northern bees and not migrant workers.

I actually might buy from two sources in an attempt to get true Minnesota stock.

I opened my hives today. The mean bees which died early in December never had a chance, there were not enough bees. They swarmed and split in August. There was no time for them to gather honey. I suppose I could have fed them and given them pollen patties, but that would have been a waste of time and money.

The second hive should have lived. The bulk of the bees were in the second super. The bulk of the honey was in the bottom super. They were running low, but they had a month worth left.

Here are some pictures. Hopefully not too many duplicates. The bees in the cells were under a pile of bees, the supers were sticky with honey.

They had pollen, honey and bee bread, some uncovered most still covered. There was still some in the upper super.

I am guessing they were too stupid to go downstairs and get their stores.

This hive split swarmed in June or the original queen died.


Any theories and ideas are welcome. They died during this last nasty cold spell.

 

[Kusanar]

That one picture with nothing but bee butts sticking out everywhere is kind of freaky.

 

[sourland]

That one picture with nothing but bee butts sticking out everywhere is kind of freaky.

Bizarre, indeed.

 

[CLSranch]

They naturally go up in the winter for food. Some people make sure the second box is the one full of honey at the beginning of the cold weather so they can eat as they go up. They freeze leaving the brood cluster going down and can't hardly feed.

 

[duluthralphie]

That one picture with nothing but bee butts sticking out everywhere is kind of freaky.

They were covered by dead bees but I brushed them off so you could see they were inside the cells. I assume they were getting honey out when they died.

Someone said something about them dying with their heads in the cells. I forgot what that indicated so I wanted it shown.

and I want to moon @sourland 5,000 times at once.

 

[CLSranch]

Not saying that's what happened. I'm new and have more experience reading about it than any doing. I also read a lot on bee source.com. Just be careful if you don't treat they will say it is the mites. I've read many new beekeepers asking about what happened to their bee's and some not knowing the situation or what really happened they just blame the beekeeper for not treating.
On that note you could do an alcohol wash and check the empty screens of any evidence of mites.

 

[CLSranch]

I want to moon @sourland 5,000 times at once.

Funny but thinking starving.