Who Keeps Bees and Poultry?

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I've had my own honey bees for 8 years, my dad kept bees, and my great grandma kept bees. I have 4 hives which is more than enough for me. I started with Carnelians but now I have the mite resistant Italians. My husband, my 3 boys, and I run a Family Dairy Farm and have no employees. We milk around 70 cows, but have close to 100 cows and calves in all. Our cows are not in confinements. We have chickens, turkeys, peafowl, call ducks, ducks, Buff Geese, and right now I'm starting a quail adventure. I homeschool my boys who are in 5th, 9th and 11th grades. My oldest son who is 6'5" is basically afraid of the birds, but my 2 other boys take care of all of our birds with me. I would absolutely love to hear from some other Beeks and what birds they have!

 

[NHMountainMan]

I've kept honeybees for 5 years. April will be 1 year with chickens. I have 1 Italian hive, 1 carniolin and trying 2 saskatraz hives stated last spring to replace 2 carniolins that didn't survive the winter. So far, all of my hives are in good shape. We had a 50 degree day last week and every hive was buzzing. We've just gone through 5 days sub zero and wind child's at night at 40 below - so we'll see. I left a lot of honey in the hives this year.

I keep my chicken in the same electric fenced pasture. Amazing to me as that they don't bother each other, but the chickens will clean up any dead bees they find.

 

[hysop]

That’s amazing. How do you keep bees? I’d be interested in doing that one day when my kids are much older. I only keep chickens, guineas and cows. I tried pigs as pets but sad story made short, my Hammy didn’t make it. Other than that, no other pets unless you count my dog.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I've kept honeybees for 5 years. April will be 1 year with chickens. I have 1 Italian hive, 1 carniolin and trying 2 saskatraz hives stated last spring to replace 2 carniolins that didn't survive the winter. So far, all of my hives are in good shape. We had a 50 degree day last week and every hive was buzzing. We've just gone through 5 days sub zero and wind child's at night at 40 below - so we'll see. I left a lot of honey in the hives this year.

I keep my chicken in the same electric fenced pasture. Amazing to me as that they don't bother each other, but the chickens will clean up any dead bees they find.

Do you cover your hives? we put calf igloos on, or wrap. I'm the beekeeper and my husband is the helper. He's learned a lot and overcame his fear of bees. We have been leaving extra honey on every year too, better safe than sorry. I got into beekeeping myself because I planted an orchard in 2012 and wanted the pollination. Fresh honey is pretty awesome though.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

That’s amazing. How do you keep bees? I’d be interested in doing that one day when my kids are much older. I only keep chickens, guineas and cows. I tried pigs as pets but sad story made short, my Hammy didn’t make it. Other than that, no other pets unless you count my dog.

The best way to get into beekeeping is to look for local clubs and see if they have some basic classes to take. My dad didn't feel confident enough to mentor me since he wasn't that successful and gave it up, so I took a class that met once a week for 6 weeks.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Has anyone entertained the idea of becoming a Master Beekeeper? College classes and a piece of paper make you one apparently.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Do you cover your hives? we put calf igloos on, or wrap. I'm the beekeeper and my husband is the helper. He's learned a lot and overcame his fear of bees. We have been leaving extra honey on every year too, better safe than sorry. I got into beekeeping myself because I planted an orchard in 2012 and wanted the pollination. Fresh honey is pretty awesome though.

I love the idea of calf igloos as a wind block. I built wraps for the hives out of insulting fiber boards but have lost about 75% of my colonies each winter. This year I wrapped all but one in roofing felt paper. 1 I've left exposed. The Shazkatraz are supposed to be very cold hardy, so we'll see. I can say that they were great honey producers.

 

[GotCoop]

Has anyone entertained the idea of becoming a Master Beekeeper? College classes and a piece of paper make you one apparently.

I keep horses, chickens, turkeys and bees here in FL panhandle. U of Florida has a large Apiary Science program that offers different levels of certification online (new). I keep intending to enroll but the horses, chickens, turkeys and almost 40 hives keep me occupied!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

40 Hives @GotCoop ! @KsKingBee has 200 according to his signature. So you 2 would be considered professionals right. Is it your primary job? Just wondering from a hobbyist like me. What kinds of bees do you have?

 

[WthrLady]

I keep Carnis. Italians don't so as well up here in our winters, and I don't mind the propensity to swarming. Which reminds me, I need to get another hive built. I use horizontal, top bars that I build myself. Swarm boxes go up in April, in case.
My boxes have thick alpaca quilts in their attics. I use clear corrugated panels and steel posts to built wind blocks, clear so they still get sun. I left them plenty of food as last 50 degree day added some pollen and sugar feed supplement.
(I raise alpacas and chickens.)