Who Keeps Bees and Poultry?

[R2elk]

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! View attachment 2008569

The sister site, BackyardHerds has a dedicated Bees & Beekeeping forum.

As a quail person you may want to check out the Quail hatch along thread.

I keep bees and have found the mite resistant strains of Italian bees to be the best honey producers. I have had Carniolians and Russians and they were not what I would consider good honey producers. Mine get a combination of sweet clover, weed blossoms and garden blossoms including flowers, pumpkins and more.

None of my poultry, chickens, guineas and turkeys bother my hives.

 

[NHMountainMan]

The sister site, BackyardHerds has a dedicated Bees & Beekeeping forum.

As a quail person you may want to check out the Quail hatch along thread.

I keep bees and have found the mite resistant strains of Italian bees to be the best honey producers. I have had Carniolians and Russians and they were not what I would consider good honey producers. Mine get a combination of sweet clover, weed blossoms and garden blossoms including flowers, pumpkins and more.

None of my poultry, chickens, guineas and turkeys bother my hives.

Wow- I'd always heard Guineas would learn to sit in front of the hives and pick off the bees one by one. Do you allow the guineas to get anywhere near the hives?

 

[R2elk]

Wow- I'd always heard Guineas would learn to sit in front of the hives and pick off the bees one by one. Do you allow the guineas to get anywhere near the hives?

I know of people that had to fence their bees separately from their guineas. My guineas have their own area but on occasion are permitted to be in the area where the bees are kept. They have enough other insects (grasshoppers, etc.) and small critters to keep them busy. Mine have never congregated in front of the hives.

My bee predators tend to be mostly Western Kingbirds. Several winters the Northern Flickers took great interest in the bees. The winter before last a lone Mountain Chickadee was constantly raiding the hives. When I lived back east, I had a Catbird that was living off of a beehive.

 

[WthrLady]

heard of ducks shoving their heads in too.

My hens only troll for the dead bodies. Otherwise they keep their distance. One of my hens took a sting near the eye one day and now she really keeps her distance.

I don't mind the lower honey production of the Carnis. I have an orchard and need the steady input of pollinators.

 

[GotCoop]

Top Bar Hives are interesting to me, it's harder and harder for me and my husband to lift the supers. Alas we've spent so much money on our equipment we're suffering through for now.

I work almost entirely 8-frame mediums for both brood and super boxes...cuts down on the weight, makes it easy to reverse boxes, etc. I make all my own...so just one more thing that keeps me from that beekeeper certification.

 

[NHMountainMan]

I work almost entirely 8-frame mediums for both brood and super boxes...cuts down on the weight, makes it easy to reverse boxes, etc. I make all my own...so just one more thing that keeps me from that beekeeper certification.

I use the 8 frame hives too- a little lighter to move and is also heard that they are better in cold climates than 10 frames. Local beekeepers ask recommended the 8 frames when I got started.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have been wanting to get into beekeeping for a good while. My wife and I will be attending a local Introduction to Beekeeping class next month and may finally take the plunge. Hopefully, I have my Great Grandmother Norris' aptitude as she was supposedly a devoted practitioner. Our family history describes her as someone who never got stung a single time while wearing no added protection besides her clothes. And of course, I will always have chickens as long as I am able to take care of them. Why stop after 50+ years?

 

[GotCoop]

I have been wanting to get into beekeeping for a good while. My wife and I will be attending a local Introduction to Beekeeping class next month and may finally take the plunge. Hopefully, I have my Great Grandmother Norris' aptitude as she was supposedly a devoted practitioner. Our family history describes her as someone who never got stung a single time while wearing no added protection besides her clothes. And of course, I will always have chickens as long as I am able to take care of them. Why stop after 50+ years?

The thing I had to adjust to with keeping bees is they aren't livestock...and the less I try and help the better. Daily care, interaction and assessment of livestock is normal. Initially I found myself staring at the bee boxes and wondering what's going on in there...is there something I need to do...how can I help? I found that it's best to "let the bees..."

 

[Chicken Heel]

The thing I had to adjust to with keeping bees is they aren't livestock...and the less I try and help the better. Daily care, interaction and assessment of livestock is normal. Initially I found myself staring at the bee boxes and wondering what's going on in there...is there something I need to do...how can I help? I found that it's best to "let the bees..."

Thanks for the advice. I actually have that same philosophy about chickens once I ensure they have proper housing, adequate feed and water and predator protection. It has worked well for me.

 

[Manhen]

I had 20 hives rough cut, then the chickens became cooler "thing" and the hives wait for next year.