Chickens and Bees . . . and Geese?

[thomashton]

Here's a question to you chicken keepers out there. I am planning on putting up a chicken coop (first time) in the spring and want to keep them housed within the same fencing as the bees. Everyhting I've heard says that is no problem and can even be beneficial.

Now, what if I wanted to add geese in there too? Not many, maybe one or two pair. I would keep them separate within the chicken house from the chickens (different entrance, different partitioned off area etc). Is it a problem to keep them on the same fenced in range? Ihavne't decided how big to fence in. Maybe 50x25 or so. I could go bigger if need be. What do you all think? Will the chickens and geese have problems together.

If it helps I am thinking Tolouese geese and either a laying or dual purpose breed.
Thanks.

[Horns Pure Honey]

I have kept chickens, ducks, and geese together, they are fine, they keep to themselves usally. I dont know what the geese will try to do to the bees but I am pretty shure they will find out not to mess with them. I had a 20x20 finced in range, yours might be big enough but it seams like they never are. Just to tell ya, chickens will fly right over any fence just to get to the other side, you have to fence over the top to keep them in. I know a guy that did and it was very nice and he didnt have to worry about critters gettn in and eating the chickens. good luck :D

[Summerbee]

I personally have a pet duck that is friends with a chicken; they are inseperable.

[Denise]

It's good to know that we aren't the only ones out there who keep chickens and bees. People we know always say "Chickens and bees? What a combo." Both are low maintenance.

[Hi-Tech]

On my small 10 acre ranch / farm I have a chicken coop with 4 laying hens (for eggs), a larger coop with about 30 chickens (raised for eating), 3 cows (for selling or butchering calves), 1 bull (for what bulls do best), 1 horse (for my wife), one donkey (for the coyotes), and now one bee hive. We also have 3 dogs and 4 cats. Whew!

We also keep a large garden……

Dang… no wonder I stay tired all of the time…

Moral of this story….. If I can keep all of these critters from killing each other, surely a few chickens, some geese and a few thousand bees should be a cake walk…  ;)

[Denise]

We just finished the outside yard for our chicken coop yesterday (finally!) The girls are now 2 months old. I opened the small chicken door to let them out. It took them almost 15 minutes just to muster the courage to poke their heads out. Then another 4 hours to actually make it down the ramp. Silly chickens. The most nervous of the trio was the first to make landfall. Go Babs! They loved it once they overcame their fear. Scratchin' in the dirt for bugs. The ultimate fun for a chicken. I went out at dusk to close everything up for the night and they were already in and gone to roost. They look so cute up on the perch side by side. Just love my girls.  :P

[Michael Bush]

Naming chickens is a bad precendent.  It's hard to enjoy Sunday dinner when you're having "babs" instead of "chicken".

[Hi-Tech]

awww... Come on....  I named all of our chickens and even our cows..
Let's see.... I have a chicken named fried, one named BBQ, one named alfrado and we just butchered a young bull named T-bone....

[Denise]

These 3 are pretty much pets. They will lay eggs and live out their lives to its natural length. I can't eat something I've named anyway. If we were going to start growing them to eat, I would make sure not to get attached.
Now I don't go to the extremes I've read about. There are people that go a bit too far and allow them in the house. Hmmm. Then I saw this //www.chickendiapers.com HAHAHAHAHA! It's for real. People actually put a diaper on their chickens and let them hang out in the house like a cat or dog.

[Understudy]

I on the other hand have no problem eating babs or any other livestock. If I were the farmer in Charolettes Web that would have been Some tasty Pig.

I have some vietnemease neighbors who would think Fido and Fluffy could be tasty.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Denise]

My Girls:



From left to right: Mac, Babs and Ginger. They are growing like weeds!

[Brian D. Bray]

So I see a Wyandot, Is that a Dominic or a Plymouth Rock?, and a Buff Orpinton.

I have 46 mixed eggs in an incubator, everthing from Americauna to Light Brahma's.  A Lot of home grown fryers and replacement layers.

[Denise]

So I see a Wyandot, Is that a Dominic or a Plymouth Rock?, and a Buff Orpinton.

I have 46 mixed eggs in an incubator, everthing from Americauna to Light Brahma's.  A Lot of home grown fryers and replacement layers.

Yes, you do see a Silver Laced Wyandotte. Her colors are really coming in nicely now. Babs is a Barred Plymouth Rock and Ginger is the Buff. She is without a doubt, the one in charge. She watches over the other two.

[Understudy]

Yes, but when do I get to put them in my belly?
Holds bottle of BBQ sauce in a menacing manner .
Come here you  tasty poultry I have some spices for you.





:twisted:


Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

I used to have quite an assortment of chicken breeds.  I used to have everything Murry McMurry had.  I particularly liked the Cochins and Brahmas.  But, alas, the predators around here have pared them down to just the Auraconas and Aurancona mixes.

Here's a nice picture of my favorite rooster who died recently, and my favoriate foal:

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/EileensFoal9.jpg

[randydrivesabus]

heres a picture of my flock and their movable house out in my field.

[Brian D. Bray]

Back to the 1st entry: Does Toulouse geese mean they have Diarhea?

Being an old FFA Chapter Farmer I use to judge poultry, sheep, pigs, and cattle.  I now have Bees, Chickens, A Garden, Goats, a Lawn to mow ( I want to turn it into pasture but my wife won't let me), an Orchard, and Racing Pigeons.  I plan on getting some Khaki Campbell ducks--my research is indicating that they will lay even better than chickens and with less Cholestrial.