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chickenherder

Would love bees but...

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Hello

 

My husband and I would love to have a try at bee keeping the thought of our own honey seems so tempting. Our only dilema is we have 2 small children (both under 3) 1 on the way and a garden full of chickens. Plus a really stupid dog that chases anything that flies which puts us off slightly as we would hate for any one to get hurt. Does anyone have a similar situation to this and how has it gone introducing bees?

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I don't have children or a dog, but I do have hens and there is no problem there at all - they have ignored the hive completely.

 

A friend who keeps bees said that his dog (now sadly deceased) used to get stung regularly, as she never learned not to sniff the hive! It didn't cause her any problems; you might have to protect the hive from being knocked over, though.

 

As far as the children are concerned, there is no reason why the bees should bother them if you have the hive out of the way - if they don't go near it, the bees won't go near them. If they knock the hive, kick footballs at it etc then that's different, but if you can work it so that the hive is in a part of the garden that they won't or can't go into, it should be fine. There are a few people in our divison who have young children. They might get stung, but they could get stung on the school outing or on a picnic.

 

Why not find your local group, and see if you can go and visit someone who has a hive in their garden, to see how it looks and how they get on. The only thing I would say is that with hens, a dog, two young children and a third on the way, time and energy are likely to be your biggest problems!

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So many people are encouraged to start beekeeping in their garden. Sheer folly in a lot of cases.

 

The new beek is not prepared for feisty bees - let alone downright aggressive ones. It does happen, I can assure you of that!

 

I do keep some in my garden but did not start that way.

 

Only earlier this season I moved colonies out the garden because they were a nuisance to me. I have replaced them with some docile bees and can walk immediately in front of the hive with no risk (so far) of getting stung. I reckon I know what I am doing after a decade of keeping bees; I was certainly not sure of that when I started and the bees were definitely not safe in a garden situation.

 

I can move them to out-apiaries, well away from people, at short notice. In your case I think you should be very careful and preferably start with a separate apiary until you are competent enough to deal with any, or potential, trouble from the bees.

 

I have seen two threads on a forum this year where the bees were destroyed, or hurriedly given away (hive and all) as a rushed alternative to destruction.

 

There was a report of two chickens killed (last year) by aggressive bees.

 

Your garden may be a suitable home for a hive, but just be aware that bees are wild animals with a sting in their tail!

 

RAB

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I have chickens, a stupid dog and grandchildren and my hives are in a field 100 yards away from the house. I think that is close enough. The bees so far have been ok but I have been stung on occasion when I was just ambling by. There's no way I'd have them in the garden unless I had an out apiary to remove them to if needed.

Honey? I'm in my second year and my best hive in a 14 x 12 has produced nothing but more bees and swarmed :roll:

I can tell you that first jar is going to cost much more than my first egg ever did :lol:

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We have 2 hives in the garden along with 5 chucks and 2 mad springer spaniels. The dogs have been stung - once each - and now don't go anywhere near the hives. It is fantastic having the bees here, as it makes things much easier than having an out apiary. However, we do have a very chilled strain of bees. It can be done, but you need to be aware of the issues.

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I have chickens, a stupid dog and grandchildren and my hives are in a field 100 yards away from the house. I think that is close enough. The bees so far have been ok but I have been stung on occasion when I was just ambling by. There's no way I'd have them in the garden unless I had an out apiary to remove them to if needed.

Honey? I'm in my second year and my best hive in a 14 x 12 has produced nothing but more bees and swarmed :roll:

I can tell you that first jar is going to cost much more than my first egg ever did :lol:

 

 

I cant tell you how happy I was reading that! I thought I was the only one!. Also year two and still buying Tesco's honey... my friends joke that I will be producing £500 a jar honey. I had some in the supers a couple of weeks ago - but with the rainy weather, they ate it! oh well, the way I look at it is that it is all practical skills and knowledge. It will happen, i know it. and that first taste..... I'll keep at it if you will. :dance:

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I do have a hive in the garden (plus a nuc ATM) and have rarely had problems. I walk past my beehive every day to get to the shed for chicken related tasks and, as long as I walk slowly, the bees just buzz past me.

 

I have been stung once, in a forgetful moment, as a bee got caught in my hair and panicked. Totally my own fault.

 

Friends who have hives in the garden, keep them in a fenced off area so the bees have to fly up and over the fence.

 

That said, I wouldn't recommend it for someone with small children running around. If you want to keep bees, maybe an out apiary is your best bet.

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Gary, there's no way I'm giving up but sometimes I think the bees are having a laugh :lol:

 

yesterday was quite a day... they were very buzzy on inspection and then all flew up kind of a mini swarm.. closed up (after finding an unsealed QC) and decided it was a supercedure cell. one hour later, they swarmed. luckily to a nearby field. caught them, left them to enter the skep, then a neighbour said he thought they swarmed again.. capture number 2... left them again.. guess what.. but the third time, they went into the moors and that was that. Opened up the hive to see what was left, a fair colony still so that's good. and to my horror - about 10 QC's that i didn't spot. hey ho - lesson learned, always shake bees off frames while inspecting! removed all but one and now waiting to see what next sunday brings. Oh, and I got my first sting - and luckily no reaction (except me shouting "OH S**T")!

 

I think many had a day of it yesterday - maybe the sudden warm weather. but these bees are very swarmy, they were actually a swarm I caught about 7 weeks ago. it must be in their nature. So... the short version of this story is... probably, almost definately, no honey in year 2 either... :lol:

 

to be honest, I would rather learn as much as possible now - I know the honey will come eventually - but this is beekeeping in the fast lane!

 

Gary

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Some bees are swarmy. You have to give them lots of space I gather.

Well, two lots are now in 14 x 12. I am really impressed at how quickly a swarm can draw foundation and how quickly the queen gets laying.

As for queen cells.........tell me. The colony that swarmed again 8 weeks after hiving (remember, it's The Lakes here and they have been tucked up in the hive most of that time and I guess they made bees and swarmed again at the first ray of sunshine)........... left 8 capped and three open and I swear there was nothing there when I had a look four days previously. As you say learn by experience and ever optimistically hope for better days next year.

On a lighter note a queen that emerged on May 7th just in time for six weeks of rain has laid five frames of worker brood after a small hiccup of 50 or so drone. I have united them with a smaller colony whose queen's genes were suspect, they are on double brood (I don't really want that but they wouldn't have had enough space). I have put a part drawn super on, the sun is shining, it's 23˚ and the bramble is out.

I have one colony superseding and the swarm parent with queens emerging tomorrow?

Fingers crossed for some fine weather for the weekend.

Gary.......leave the Te$co honey alone and buy some local......you never know..............it might be your honey on the shelf next year.

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I cant tell you how happy I was reading that! I thought I was the only one!. Also year two and still buying Tesco's honey... my friends joke that I will be producing £500 a jar honey. I had some in the supers a couple of weeks ago - but with the rainy weather, they ate it! oh well, the way I look at it is that it is all practical skills and knowledge. It will happen, i know it. and that first taste..... I'll keep at it if you will. :dance:

 

Seen your post on BKF

Well done

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There is more to this than meets the eye if you read the original story.

The dog was left to roam while the owners were out at work. It knocked the hive over.

BUT I probably agree that if you have very near neighbours you shouldn't keep bees in your garden, especially if they are irresponsible numpties like this lot.

Poor dog!

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I cant tell you how happy I was reading that! I thought I was the only one!. Also year two and still buying Tesco's honey... my friends joke that I will be producing £500 a jar honey. I had some in the supers a couple of weeks ago - but with the rainy weather, they ate it! oh well, the way I look at it is that it is all practical skills and knowledge. It will happen, i know it. and that first taste..... I'll keep at it if you will. :dance:

 

Seen your post on BKF

Well done

 

:pray: Thank you! I had a teaspoon of it with my breakfast this morning.. fantastic! I worked out that at that rate it will last about a fortnight! but who cares!

 

Just to let everyone else know - after a pretty hard first 2 seasons (lets just say, I have learned a lot!) I extracted about half a pound of honey yesterday - the best day of my life!

 

gary

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Well done, that makes it more expensive than gold I think, buit I bet it tastes fabulous. I have just put the clearer boards in and plan to try my first ever honey extraction tomorrow. We have been really lucky as we took 20lbs from a super on the other hive earlier in the summer. This is the first honey from the hive I share with my mum - we put them in there from a swarm from the other one in May. This is my first year beekeeping and the second summer for the other hive who arrived just about this time last year!! I will let you all know how I get on tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

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