[ReaderRabbit]

Hi there

I'm a newbie chook keeper but we've had bees for 3 years now.  We live in a suburban semi with a 40 ft garden and have our 3 chickens and five small hives in the garden (small hives are all swams hubby has collected - he is one of our local contacts for police and council if anyone has a honey bee swarm they want rid of).

We do also have four large hives but they are situated on a farm a couple of miles away.

I have had a chat with hubby (he's the real bee lover - the chooks are mine   ) and he said that now is not the best time to get a colony as it's time to extract the honey and get them settled for the winter.  They need to be a big enough colony and have enough honey reserves to see them through the colder months.

Couldn't agree more about joining a local BBKA Association - now is a good time of year to meet keepers and find out about any equipment needed for the spring.

Bee keeping is not that time consuming (unlike watching chickens for hours   ) but you do need to inspect your hives every week in the warmer months so that you can monitor them and hopefully anticipate and prevent swarming.

A good tip is to have two hives, then you always have one to compare to another.  They can be kept quite close together in the garden if space is a problem.

It can be quite an expensive hobby when setting up but there are some good second hand bargains to be had (and some real rubbish so be careful).  TBH it will take some years to start making any money from your spare honey but bee keepers are a friendly bunch and bees are far more interesting than they first seem.

Good luck

RR

[Roughlee Handled]

Thank you ReaderRabbit for the advice.  For me it will be about getting me off my bum and out and about.  With the added benefit of drinking more beer.  Can you add honey to beer?

[Kate and her Ducks]

There's always mead if you can't

[SnooziSuzi]

Thanks guys, some good help in there.

I'll check out who runs my nearest association and join up and when things get rolling I'll keep you all informed!  

[Roughlee Handled]

I am going to join mine as well. mmmmmm honey.

[SnooziSuzi]

I like honey, but don't eat that much of it... I mainly want them to fertilise my flowers!  

I'm sure the end result will be gratefully received by many friends, family and neighbours though!

[Roughlee Handled]

May bee I should rewrite the last post to "mmmmmmmmmmmm Mead"  Think the Original Homer may have said that!!!!!

Mead = Made from fermented honey, mead is one of mankind's oldest alcoholic beverages.

[ReaderRabbit]

Hi SnooziSuzi

I hate to disappoint but they wont actually spend much time in your own garden - they fly up and away - anything up to 3 miles.  Unless of course you've got a really big garden  

It's really great on a sunny day to watch the hives, it looks like sparks flying everywhere and it's amazing to see how precise they are when landing on the return journey.

[SnooziSuzi]

Hi SnooziSuzi

I hate to disappoint but they wont actually spend much time in your own garden - they fly up and away - anything up to 3 miles.  Unless of course you've got a really big garden  

It's really great on a sunny day to watch the hives, it looks like sparks flying everywhere and it's amazing to see how precise they are when landing on the return journey.

 :roll: Typical!  they're just like beligerant teenagers then...?  You provide them with food, a safe warm home and they just go off and do their own thing and stuff what you wanted them to do!  

[ReaderRabbit]

you've got it