Author Topic: Positioning bee's related to chickens... (Read 3679 times)

bloomer · « **on:** June 23, 2015, 08:39:21 pm »

My bees are arriving next week, I have a choice of locations to set them up, easy to access location which is quite close to my chicken pens or a harder to access location that keeps them a good distance away.

Are there issues with bees near chooks?

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** June 23, 2015, 08:50:14 pm »

I think guinea fowl consider bees a delicacy but my chickens tend to ignore them. If you put the beehive fairly near a barrier such as a hedge they'll fly up and away from the poultry.

Big Light · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2015, 10:08:26 pm »

Bee's and chickens are probably not the issue its bees and either you or the kids who are tying to do bits with the chickens. Really depends on the temprement of the hive but of course you won't know till you get it

Caroline1 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2015, 04:46:31 pm »

My chickens were quite happy being around the beehives and were generally ignored by the bees. Big Light has the key point. Whilst you are cleaning or feeding the chickens make sure it is not in the bees flight path!

For that reason I have put my hives away from the chickens.

Rhea · « **Reply #4 on:** June 29, 2015, 08:41:25 pm »

When we originally got our hives we placed them near the chickens and ducks, and for most of the year it was fine. One hive got defensive towards the end of the year and if they got angry during an inspection they would go for anything that moved, especially our black drake.

As others have said it depends on their temperament, and exactly how close they are.

sarab · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2015, 11:59:59 am »

Our chickens and ducks are next to the hive, they are regularly allowed down to the hive area to do a bit of weed clearance, no problems there. But if OH starts clearing weeds they get cross (the bees that is)