Chicken boarders

[Old Speckled Hen]

Made out of pallets

All hubby had to pay for was the mesh for the floor and the screws

 

 

I think the legs need reinforcing.

 

 

 

 

I'm going to put a line of wax on the top bars and paint the inside with beeswax and lemongrass oil and it's going to the bottom of the garden this weekend.

Fingers crossed

Edited to say

The plan calls for the entrance holes to be closed with champagne corks when needed

 

I feel coming on

Edited June 7, 2010 by Guest

[Lewis]

Well done!

 

Don't know what I'm looking for, but looks good to me

[hippy chick]

Excellent!!!

I want one lol

[Olly]

That's interesting - are those frames in there, or just bars? Do I understand you to mean that you're hoping a swarm will move in? Your OH is very handy, I have lots of old pallets in the shed but couldn't make anything useful out of them!

[Old Speckled Hen]

Hi Olly,

Just top bars.

This sort of beekeeping, more keeping bees than harvesting honey, has always intrigued me so I'm going to experiment.

You can still treat,feed and take some honey but it's a more hands off approach than tending hives with removable frames.

You put a line of wax in the middle of the underside of the top bar as a guide for the bees. That way you hope they will build vertical comb without cross combing although they never do completely.

I hope a swarm may move in though I am putting a couple of bait hives out near where there is another apiary ...Cheeky I know

There are plans for a topbar here

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/how-to-build-a-top-bar-hive/6288193

 

And there is an excellent site here

http://www.biobees.com/index.php

[Lesley]

Excellent! - it sounds very exciting!

 

We're planning to get my son to make a couple over this winter to put in a small orchard we have planted so I'll be interested to see how yours fares.