Possible turkey problem!!

[bee-nuts]

I have one location that I have one colony at.  It went into winter full of bees and looked like it was doing very well when I looked under the cover in early march.  When It was warm enough to do a thorough inspection I was amazed at how few bees and was also amazed at how few field bees were coming in and out.  Before all the snow was gone I saw lots of turkey tracks around the hive.  I thought they might be eating dead cleansing bees.  When I went into the hive today they seem no bigger or even smaller, very few field bees again, and they had as much brood rearing as they could cover.  Im worried that I have turkeys picking off my bees as they fly in and out.  Has any one ever had this problem or seen it?  I had another colony about the same size as this (three frames or so) was on first inspection in another spot and its doubled in size already.  If nobody has any idea one way or another Im going to try to borrow a trail cam and see if I can find out.  I just put four nucs at the location Tuesday so Im a bit worried.  Im going to put up an electric fence as soon as I can afford but right now I have my hands full with other expenses.

Thanks for any input.

[Kathyp]

good thing about electric is that it's cheap.  if you have a good, sunny spot, get a solar charges.  i like the yellowjacket solar charger.  gives a good zap and has battery backup.  you can use wire for the fencing and one roll will be more than enough for a bee yard.  a few t-posts and you are done. 

i don't know if turkeys eat bees, but i know other birds do.  i have a heck of a time with swallows and have had robins sit on my hives and eat bees.  i know ducks will chase bees and eat them if they are close to the ground.

[bee-nuts]

Cheap is in the eye of the buyer LOL.  I have one in my main yard.  Im guessing about four hundred to put up another.  I should be able to get the post for nothing though so maybe three Hundred.  I will go solar with this one instead of battery Dependant.  Im going to move the nucs back to where they came from in two weeks so Im not to worried at the moment.  I was going to wait till the basswood flow to purchase a fence for this area.  I want the one hive there though so I know when a flow hits.  Im worried if turkey are picking them off that they will just fizzle out.  Maybe Ill have to bite the bullet and reach deeper into my  pocket.

[luvin honey]

We have oodles of turkeys in the woods next to our hives, and they come out foraging around the hives often. I have NEVER seen turkeys eating bees. They seem to be more of a on-the-ground forager, but that's just my observation.

[Kathyp]

you should be able to get a good one for well under 200 unless you  need a 50 mile charger.  

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=2&mscssid=C7HHKWJPF2US8H3P6BSNDDLPWX0FAM5B&area=fencing&dept_id=1102

http://www.horse.com/Search.aspx?query=solar+charger

a couple to give you a price idea.

[bee-nuts]

you should be able to get a good one for well under 200 unless you  need a 50 mile charger.  

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=2&mscssid=C7HHKWJPF2US8H3P6BSNDDLPWX0FAM5B&area=fencing&dept_id=1102

http://www.horse.com/Search.aspx?query=solar+charger

a couple to give you a price idea.

I meant with wire, insulators, handles (you know to open the fence, ground rod, corner posts if you get serious and what ever Im missing.

But thank you for the links.  I really appreciate that.

[bee-nuts]

We have oodles of turkeys in the woods next to our hives, and they come out foraging around the hives often. I have NEVER seen turkeys eating bees. They seem to be more of a on-the-ground forager, but that's just my observation.

Thats what I thought too but they really had there tracks focused around my hive at end of winter and I cant believe that with as much brood as they are rearing that they are not gaining ground but are losing it.  Maybe I got something else going on.  I just dont know what to make of it.  Maybe things will turn around.  Either way I need a fence for bears there.  I probably better just get a fence up.

If nothing else they might have got a taste for my bees eating all the dead ones out of the snow.  I remember the turkeys my uncle raised that would try to get anything shiny like buttons off your pants or shirt.  A nice flashy yellow buzzing bee might get there attention.  I think I will talk to my uncle Monday and see if he will let me use his trail cam.  I just have to know if thats it.  I can just see the little bugars running into the woods when I come rolling up the trail to see my bees.

[wfuavenger]

I currently have an issue with robins catching the bees while on the wing (saw it happen yesterday) and they will sit on the railing on the porch and dive bomb the forager bees coming out

[Scadsobees]

When I have a turkey problem I just scatter some cranberries and stuffing around as a deterrent.  Works great!  :-D

[Kathyp]

since i live in a windy place, i put some windsocks up around my hive. my robins were just sitting on the front of the hive eating bees.  also had to put up tons of whirlygigs and tin foil posts in the buckwheat field.  seems to have done the trick.  all it lacks is a "welcome ET" sign.

[doak]

Anything will work for anything, until they become immune to it. Only the electric fence has the anti immune syndrome. Get one and you will come to swear by it. For small critters that is.
Rock salt works well for "two" legged critters. :? ;) :)doak

[bee-nuts]

Thing is (I just thought of this, duh) turkeys can fly.  I wonder if they would just fly over they fence?

[AllenF]

12 gauge works here.

[bee-nuts]

12 gauge works here.

LOL.  Good idea.  If I get some picks on cam maybe the DNR will give me a permit to go to town with one.  Anybody like turkey?!!  May have nothing to do with turkey.  Will have to wait and see.