[spongebob]

hi all

i got myself allotment and i want to keep bees and chickens on it

when i got the welcome pack it had in it about keeping chickens and bees on the plot that its ok to do this it do say that i have to inform the council that im keeping chickens and bees on the plot and they will send someone out to check that im doing it right for the birds and bees   not got a problem with that at all.
 

anyway i been talking to other plot owners about there plots and told  them my plans to keep chickens and bees on there and all of them seem fine about it  and some have already said they love some eggs of me (swops veg for eggs) great so i thought
i was there yesterday and site wardon came down to have a chat
and told me that they been a couple of people conserns about me keeping bees and chickens on the plot
i asked what the concerns was about and she said rat and other pest and getting stung with bees i laugthed  thinking she was jokeing she was not
i told her that im not doing anything wrong the council are trying to encourage bee keeping and as for the chickens. the hen house will get cleaned out every three days and the run once aweek
as for rats they are on the allotments with or without chickens on
she not going to stop me she was just letting me know of the concerns
all of this is before i even got bees and chickens  on the plot
because this is the first year that the council are allowing allotmenters keep live stock on the plots. i think couple of people are finding the changes to much i guess.

now i got some concerns myself if i got people complaining now whats going to happen when i put chickens and bees on my plot
do i still go with my plans or scrap them

would rearly like to here your comments on this matter

thankyou

(sorry was not to sure where to post this)

 


 

[Vember]

Hi Spongebob

What a dilemma

If it were me I'd go for it any way

In my opinion with rats it's once they know the food source is there they become a problem. If you look at ways to ensure they can't get in to the run and keep it clean etc... I can't see there will be any more of a problem than there is now.

Use weldmesh, bury it down into the ground to deter them digging their way in. Keep food stored well, in a metal bin if possible.
I think someone once suggested putting the feeder on a large tray, then if any gets scratched about by the birds it's easier to clean up

As for the bees well, they could get stung by a wasp

Maybe do one to begin with then once folks see that there isn't a problem make a move with the other
Then your only decision is bees first or hens

I know which I'd go for


Sarah

[Roughlee Handled]

If you have poultry you will have a rodents. FACT.
No matter how tidy you are.  
Use rat bate stations it works.
So no problem with the chicken as long as you are prepared to control the rodents.

I am in week two of my bee keeping course. If you have not kept bees before I would strongly suggest you go on a course held by your local group.  Bees are complicated not like chickens.
You get good beehives and bad (nasty) beehives.  The bees take there behaviour from the queen.  It is in the breeding. It is common in bad (nasty) for them to escort you to and from the hive to a "boundary" eg hedge this is on mass (a few thousand bees very intimidating).  If you have good bees then you and your neighbours will not have a problem.
Question have you ever been stung by a bee? If you have not then get stung before you get any kit.
DO NOT PURCHASE ANY SECOND HAND HIVES. UNLESS YOU KNOW THE PROVENANCE OF HIVE. OTHERWISE YOU MAY BE SPREADING DISEASE TO A DISEASE FREE AREA OF THE COUNTRY

So do not give up just be prepared for there concerns with good answers.

[scabs]

My allotment is actively seeking people out to keep bees and, it being something I have been interested in for a while, I thought I might volunteer to start...

Roughlee has just scared the sh8t out of me though... 

Seriously though, go for it. Do take the course and I'd also advise joining your local beekeeping group for support and advice.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes - it might be my project for next year!

[Roughlee Handled]

Oh yes just to clarify I was not trying to scare you. :blink:
Bees are not like chickens and a beginner will need support.
Oh my group are charging £35 for the course. I think its 6-7 weeks 2 hrs on a Sunday.
http://www.beeginners.info/

[Roughlee Handled]

http://www.britishbee.org.uk/

[scabs]

Oh yes just to clarify I was not trying to scare you. :blink:
Bees are not like chickens and a beginner will need support.
Oh my group are charging £35 for the course. I think its 6-7 weeks 2 hrs on a Sunday.
http://www.beeginners.info/

That's excellent value. Cheers!

[raeburg]

Some just have to find something to complain about.  My grandfather used to keep bees, but had to get rid of them as every ant bite was his bees stinging them.  I'm too much of a wuss for bees.  Mind you I had a bird phobia a year ago and chickens have cured that!

[karlooben]

our council will only allow us to keep chickens an rabbits , i have not had one complaint about the girls which is brillant an so far the council have had nothing back but very good feedback about them as well.

i keep everything tidy an since placing woodchip in the run the smell of wet mud an chicken poo has completey gone { one person said today they did get wiffs of it going near thier house an they live about 200 yards away } they tell me now but not 3 months ago when it started  .

i would not keep bees at all not sure i am that brave i got stung by a swarm of wasps an they attacked my head even when i got to hostipal they were still coming out my hair ,, my head was swelling an shrinking at the same time for 3 days it hurtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.

[shiatsusu]

I want to keep bees too and think it's good advice to do a course first. Chooks would be the simpler one to start off with and probably stir up less concern if you can explain the anti-rat measures you are taking. They say we're never more than a couple of feet away from a rat wherever we are so they are pretty widespread regardless of whether you have chooks or not. If the council are actively encouraging bee keeping I'll expect you'll be the first of many and it's just the change that the folks are worrying over- you'll be a trail blazer! Go for it! 

[peapod]

where are you taking the beekeeping course stuart? If its at offshoots Im there on the last (I think) week 

[poultrygeist]

Hi Spongebob. What everyone else plus the weldmesh needs to be 25x13mm to be rat proof.

You'll be the only rat-free plot on the site 

And your beans will be the first to be pollinated. 

Guess who'll be jealous then ? 

Go for it but take Vember and Roughlee's advice.

Rob

[woodburner]

To keep rats out, the top has to be rat rpoof too. Not that I think you'll really need that, but if the moaner sees a rat, she'll try and blame you for it. Metal storage bins for feed are a must though, as there are bound to be rats on the allotment already, and you need to keep your feed safe. Come to that if you know for sure there are rats there, making the run ratproof will protect your eggs!

Personally I wouldn't keep bees on an allotment, as the hives are so expensive!
TBH, I wouldn't keep anything other than cheap brown chooks on an allotment either.

I've got no problem with anyone else keeping either though, in fact, I'd be really pleased if someone had bees nearby. (I think if bees turned out to be aggressive the owner would be the first to want to be rid of them!) 

[spongebob]

hi all

thanks for your comments
i thought about it and im going for it
im going to put chickens on the plot first and bees will be later
after i done some more research and been to a couple more beekeeping meetings

i called at a tool hire shop today when i finished work to see if they had any old metal fencing panels they did six and charged me  :blink: 10quid for all of them  bargin 
they need some fixing but they will do it is 6mlong 3m wide but im going to try another hire shop see if i can get two more so the run would be 6mx6m loads of room for the chickens
dropped them of at the allotment and put them up temp for now

[Roughlee Handled]

Sorry to rain on your parade but you area is not fox secure. I seem to remember a member of this site late last year had this construction fencing and lost all her hens to mr fox.
Mr Fox can .... Climb it.............. Dig under it.  You will be amazed what a Fox can do.  On the plus side you have enough space for 9+ chickens to live comfortably when the area is fox proof.  A little extra work will save allot of heart ache. 

Oh and you will have to close the pop hole door every night after the chickens have gone to bed and open it around 6-7am or get a auto pope hole opener.
Chickens need ventilation but not draft. 
Minimum of 9" of fence dug into the ground.