We had geese when I was a kid. They did eat a lot of chickweed. And they were protective of each other. One of them got its head caught between a tree stump and a post and some of the others came to the house door making a lot of noise to let us know. We got her head unstuck and she was temporarily blind from trying to pull her head out the wrong way. The other geese surrounded her and led her around until she could see again. We got rid of the stump.
I started a NUC from a package I got from Barnyard Bees last spring and am so impressed with how they've been doing and how gentle they really are compared to my other hive, which was started from a local swarm I caught around the same time last year.
Amazing. A February swarm! They are going to make it David, I have high hopes for these girls! Please give us updates on them in a few weeks. Glad you saved them, that little two frame nuc is small enough they can keep it warm. They want to survive!
Dang! You almost have to re-winterize the yard! Its spring here, hang in there, spring is going north from here at 100 miles per week. Something like that. It should get there soon!
I went to Florida for a few days (I live in SC) and one of my hives swarmed unexpectedly this week too! Maybe a sign that this will be a super active summer!
February 24th I caught 2 swarms. Have had three calls this week for swarms in Southern California. Had to rush to get equipment ready as I wasn't expecting swarms so early in the year.
Hello Sr I'm very interested in becoming a bee keeper but have never done this before so I was wondering if you have a list of things I would need to start a hive for just for family use thanks in advance for all your help I was looking at your website but I'm lost at what I need
I just experienced a weird swarm situation I noticed a cluster hanging under the entrance board it was cold for a couple days then i got down and looked under the screen bottom board 2lbs easy hanging there last night i let them walk into a 5 frame nuc and set up feed just havent seen that or heard or read of it I thought they flew away when they swarmed
I just had to deal with one(in s.e. NC). I went through my hives and found one packed with bees and probably seven queen cells. On the advice of a more experienced beekeeper I separated my queen with five good frames in a nuc box and moved her away. I went through them again later and found one of the queen cells hatched. As of now bees are bringing pollen into both boxes.
I'm in coastal SC and had a swarm this week also--complete surprise! We trapped it and put it in a box, so we shall see what happens to this one--it was a HUGE swarm, super active hive
Hi David, do you always start spring feeding using the 2 parts sugar to 1 part water? Do you switch to 50% solution later, or stick with the heavy syrup? Regards
It's 1:1 Sugar to Water to build up Colony re Comb for egg laying potential. Then 2:1 when a Flow dries up these bees need help with food if none in Nature. (Dearth.) 💪 To get 🐝to 💥
Really appreciate all the time and work that David goes through to share with all of us who are Beeloved. Rapid Feeder Outer Cone ladder: I make an outer shell that goes around cone. I use plastic textured shelf liner from Costco - texture facing outside. Make a pattern first. Lay onto plastic. Trim top, bottom and slots for bottom fins of cone. Set onto cone, hold in place, remove, overlay ends 1", then staple (with an office stapler) or rivet together. There is no drowning because the bees have extra grip area that doesn't seem to get so slippery that the bees can't hold on. I have used these add on ladders for over 9 months and no drowning at all.
If it's to cold don't use Syrup. Better to use a Sugar Block (thin one direct on Frame tops.) Bee moisture will moisten the hard sugar surface, into a semi Syrup 'Candy Lick'. Then add a Pollen Sub to replicate the Pollen, this gets Brood breed ! 💪 for the 🐝
someone said that bees can't eat dry sugar without injuring their mouth and dry sugar is bad for them. is that true? I'm confused on that issue and do you ever clean your feeders or just let them go?oh ok you just said you did clean since fall thanks.
Mr Goose will get really protective the closer it gets to her laying eggs. Once she lays he is going to be a stinker trying to protect their nest. Just keep your distance and they shouldn't attack because they will if they feel threatened enough. If you are their person they shouldn't give you to much trouble.
Hand scooping? One of my neighbors nearly lost his life doing that! Ever hear-tell of what the old-timers used to call; "A dry Swarm"????? Yeah! VERY DANGEROUS! I always spray with sugar syrup before trying to retrieve any swarm!
Hey Dave. This is Bryan from right above Chattanooga.. I'm wanting to come down and get a nuc and package (Pickup) at the same time. Do I need to just call the store or is this possible to do? Thanks man!
@@davidhaught84 yep.. the hives I split off with 4 of your queens last season exploded and are truly what you say they are. Just trying to diversify my hives some more!!
If you sell bee equipment how come you don't have a bee brush, or you could use a goose feather. I use a goose feather and it works great for brushing bees.
Justin, You need to realize that in the South, it gets really hot and humid here for a long long time; most of the year in fact. Most Southern beekeepers get "brave" pretty quickly after a few weeks of wearing proper equipment in hot sticky weather in which sitting still and drinking your favorite beverage is enough to cause you to sweat.
No problem Justin. Just get rid of the idea its an act of bravery, and take your time. its much more important you move slowly and carefully around the bees - for their sakes AND yours. And there are very brave southern beekeepers that wear a full suit all the time. The bees need all the help we can give them right now, so do it how you are comfortable so you can do your best. That's all that matters.
how did the bees over winter this year--was there30 % hive death---i have been hearing that many have died of like last year---is thAT your experience also
Do geese eat the hive beetles like the chickens do? I'm allowed to get only 4 chickens and no rooster So I'm wondering if I could get a pair of geese. They are quieter than chickens and are good guard dogs too. Lol
Hey guy, geese can be a lot louder than a rooster. Especially if strangers pull up in the drive or walk by within site. Great guard dogs. And David is right, they're are grazers and snatch slugs. Five game (undomesticated) hens raised from chicks and adjusted to your property do great.
@@davidhaught84 Hey, I'm with you on any swarm, sugar water and honey should get them thru until her eggs start to hatch. However, I would close it up to near closed to help with maintaining the warmth 27° tomorrow night here tomorrow.
Ya I do. Decide what you want to focus on. Breeding, honey or both. THEN!!!!! Go to the video section of guys like Barnyard, Fat bee man, 628 Dirt rooster. UoG Honey bee research center, Canadian Beekeepers blog. Through these sites and many more you'll run across you will learn everything and anything there is to know about beekeeping. If you watch all of these peoples content and understand it you will be as knowledgeable as anyone and just missing the hands on experience. That will come quick. The biggest issue you will find in beekeeping is discerning fact from ideology and opinion. Some folks will demonize certain practices as harmful while the next guy uses it exclusively and has hives busting at the seams. Clearly it's opinion and ideology. You'll find this all over from using queen excluders to treating to feeding to equipment. Name it. The more you watch the more you learn and the more you will be able to cut through the BS yourself. Last year was my first year beekeeping and thanks to the pages I mentioned above I have never had need to ask a single question. Here is the rundown of what you will find in the pages I listed above. Most of these sites have the same general common sense care info but they are each specialized differently. Fat bee man will teach you how get started and raise bees with less than 2 wooden nickels to rub together. He's a bit ideological but you will get good info there. Barnyard bees here will teach you how to make bees LOTS OF BEES! 628dirtrooster will teach you how to do cutouts and swarms UoG Honeybee research center is all about hive management Canadian beekepers blog is all about how to create monster commercial honey crops. As i said much of the information is crossed showing different ways to do the same things but each of these guys are absolute masters in the subjects I listed above. and these guys explain what the hell they are doing. Really there isn't much you can do with bees outside of what these people do and do well. never watch one video. Search the subject. Last piece of advice is to find someone in the same geographical area so you can learn specifics for your area. For instance in my case Canadian beekeepers blog is about 8 hours west and a bit south. He gets my weather, temperature, conditions and pest problems. As such I can watch his videos to see what, when and how. We don't have hive beetles so throwing a 2lb pollen patties on a hive at any time works here. Anyone with beetles would most likely have their hives over run and destroyed by beetles throwing masses of pollen supplements on top the hive.. That's why barnyard uses dry supplements so bees manage their stores in the comb. We use dry supplement also but it's more to give bees something to do before natural pollen comes out in the spring That's my advice from one newbie to another. Go to each of these guys youtube walls hit the video tab and hit play all. Make sure you subscribe and like to support what these folks are doing.
@@ozarkbeestablerocklake5338 thank you! If this advice is followed he won't fail. I could list hundreds of videos because I've watched a thousand. But this shortlist cover every aspect I can think of. Between the folks I listed there is over a century of beekeeping and commercial success.
That really is great advice. There are a few other beekeepers I follow as well as those listed, but the generosity of those beekeepers is stellar and genuine, as is their knowledge base. And R.A.W. - don't ever be afraid to ask questions. The only stupid question is the one not asked. It may sound stupid, but it means that the information did not click - and that indicates a blind spot, not stupidity.
@@davidhaught84 I would be worried about hurting them. If a bee gets in the car I try not to handle it, I try shooing it out instead of catching it. I worry about the little guys.
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Please do a series on this little swarm. Would live to know how they do for the rest of the year.
2nd that
We had geese when I was a kid. They did eat a lot of chickweed. And they were protective of each other. One of them got its head caught between a tree stump and a post and some of the others came to the house door making a lot of noise to let us know. We got her head unstuck and she was temporarily blind from trying to pull her head out the wrong way. The other geese surrounded her and led her around until she could see again. We got rid of the stump.
I ALWAYS am fascinated to see you handling the bees with such gentleness.
I started a NUC from a package I got from Barnyard Bees last spring and am so impressed with how they've been doing and how gentle they really are compared to my other hive, which was started from a local swarm I caught around the same time last year.
I'd be interested to see if this one is still around in a month.
Thanks for your love of the bees!
Amazing. A February swarm! They are going to make it David, I have high hopes for these girls! Please give us updates on them in a few weeks. Glad you saved them, that little two frame nuc is small enough they can keep it warm. They want to survive!
Dang! You almost have to re-winterize the yard! Its spring here, hang in there, spring is going north from here at 100 miles per week. Something like that. It should get there soon!
I went to Florida for a few days (I live in SC) and one of my hives swarmed unexpectedly this week too! Maybe a sign that this will be a super active summer!
February 24th I caught 2 swarms. Have had three calls this week for swarms in Southern California. Had to rush to get equipment ready as I wasn't expecting swarms so early in the year.
Hello Sr I'm very interested in becoming a bee keeper but have never done this before so I was wondering if you have a list of things I would need to start a hive for just for family use thanks in advance for all your help I was looking at your website but I'm lost at what I need
Do they make a tight ball like that because they just don't know what to do?
1:32 I bet they use pheremones to decide together to be non-aggressive and gentle if they feel safe and satisfied.
I just experienced a weird swarm situation I noticed a cluster hanging under the entrance board it was cold for a couple days then i got down and looked under the screen bottom board 2lbs easy hanging there last night i let them walk into a 5 frame nuc and set up feed just havent seen that or heard or read of it I thought they flew away when they swarmed
What a pleasure it has been to watch you with the bee's. I'm only a few videos in but really enjoying the content!!
I just had to deal with one(in s.e. NC). I went through my hives and found one packed with bees and probably seven queen cells. On the advice of a more experienced beekeeper I separated my queen with five good frames in a nuc box and moved her away. I went through them again later and found one of the queen cells hatched. As of now bees are bringing pollen into both boxes.
I'm in coastal SC and had a swarm this week also--complete surprise! We trapped it and put it in a box, so we shall see what happens to this one--it was a HUGE swarm, super active hive
@@alexselderberriesapiaries3409 bigger is better from what I'm told. Up here two nights of freezing temps coming. Keep um fed
David, I really enjoy your videos and appreciate all I learn from them.
Hi David, do you always start spring feeding using the 2 parts sugar to 1 part water? Do you switch to 50% solution later, or stick with the heavy syrup? Regards
It's 1:1 Sugar to Water to build up Colony re Comb for egg laying potential. Then 2:1 when a Flow dries up these bees need help with food if none in Nature. (Dearth.)
💪 To get 🐝to 💥
I bet some people were surprised when the gander (male goose) started hissing. People who live in cities may have never heard it before.
Your catching swarms and I'm getting 4" of more snow
Will you use that leftover dry sugar to make sugar syrup or do you toss it?
Did they make it?
What if it’s too cold for the bees to walk up into the feeder? How do they not drown when you feed sugar water? Good job saving every bee.
Really appreciate all the time and work that David goes through to share with all of us who are Beeloved. Rapid Feeder Outer Cone ladder: I make an outer shell that goes around cone. I use plastic textured shelf liner from Costco - texture facing outside. Make a pattern first. Lay onto plastic. Trim top, bottom and slots for bottom fins of cone. Set onto cone, hold in place, remove, overlay ends 1", then staple (with an office stapler) or rivet together. There is no drowning because the bees have extra grip area that doesn't seem to get so slippery that the bees can't hold on. I have used these add on ladders for over 9 months and no drowning at all.
If it's to cold don't use Syrup.
Better to use a Sugar Block (thin one direct on Frame tops.) Bee moisture will moisten the hard sugar surface, into a semi Syrup 'Candy Lick'. Then add a Pollen Sub to replicate the Pollen, this gets Brood breed ! 💪 for the 🐝
someone said that bees can't eat dry sugar without injuring their mouth and dry sugar is bad for them. is that true? I'm confused on that issue and do you ever clean your feeders or just let them go?oh ok you just said you did clean since fall thanks.
When do you start doing your spring splits? I've got three hives and they look like they need to be split but it seems so early.
Gotta keep us posted on this little swarm/hive David, we want to see this little hive make it.
Do you use your five frame nuke feeder on your mini meeting nukes now?
the goose needs to be "Bruce the Goose."
Do you sell old combo form your old hives
Mr Goose will get really protective the closer it gets to her laying eggs. Once she lays he is going to be a stinker trying to protect their nest. Just keep your distance and they shouldn't attack because they will if they feel threatened enough. If you are their person they shouldn't give you to much trouble.
Im planing on ordering a few packages this weekend!
At 9:51 the bees were in the shape of a heart ❤️
Hand scooping?
One of my neighbors nearly lost his life doing that! Ever hear-tell of what the old-timers used to call; "A dry Swarm"?????
Yeah! VERY DANGEROUS!
I always spray with sugar syrup before trying to retrieve any swarm!
All you can do is try. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Dave. This is Bryan from right above Chattanooga.. I'm wanting to come down and get a nuc and package
(Pickup) at the same time. Do I need to just call the store or is this possible to do? Thanks man!
@@davidhaught84 yep.. the hives I split off with 4 of your queens last season exploded and are truly what you say they are. Just trying to diversify my hives some more!!
Sometimes broodless swarm or package will abscond due to no brood to "hold em"...
I love hand scooping bees as well. Very good Hand 🖐 massage.
Keep us updated on the swarm. :D
I enjoy your videos!
I HAVE AN IDEA, WHY DONT YOU GET A ROBOT MOWER, IT CAN RUN ALL THE TIME KEEPING THE GRASS LOW
U have some chillll bees wow
Always amazing...
If you sell bee equipment how come you don't have a bee brush, or you could use a goose feather. I use a goose feather and it works great for brushing bees.
Would your bees be oaky in NJ? (Zone 6)
What happened to this little swarm?
I'm not brave enough to go around my bees without a suit yet
Justin, You need to realize that in the South, it gets really hot and humid here for a long long time; most of the year in fact. Most Southern beekeepers get "brave" pretty quickly after a few weeks of wearing proper equipment in hot sticky weather in which sitting still and drinking your favorite beverage is enough to cause you to sweat.
@@julieenslow5915 I'm in n Iowa, this is my first year beekeeping so I still new at it, I want to be were im more comfortable with it.
No problem Justin. Just get rid of the idea its an act of bravery, and take your time. its much more important you move slowly and carefully around the bees - for their sakes AND yours. And there are very brave southern beekeepers that wear a full suit all the time. The bees need all the help we can give them right now, so do it how you are comfortable so you can do your best. That's all that matters.
Justin, do your bees attack your gloves when you first open your hive, even with smoke?
@@danskisbees7348 no
how did the bees over winter this year--was there30 % hive death---i have been hearing that many have died of like last year---is thAT your experience also
And we’re getting ready for another blizzard❄️ Our hives right now have entrance feeders, same reason , just in case.
Can you give the temperature in your videos so we know a little more Thanks love you videos
David, you already have Drones? Seriously? Wow! I’m just across the mountain from you in Cleveland/Dahlonega and I’ve seen no drone brood
I’m in Toccoa GA and my hives are full of drones already, we would be splitting some if the weather wasn’t going to be in the 20’s next week
Nice video. Vill you use pollen patties? I got 8 of those feeders. Brand new. Greetings frome Sweden
@@davidhaught84 okay. We dont got hive beetels... Yet. I Will try first time this spring.
Do geese eat the hive beetles like the chickens do? I'm allowed to get only 4 chickens and no rooster So I'm wondering if I could get a pair of geese. They are quieter than chickens and are good guard dogs too. Lol
Hey guy, geese can be a lot louder than a rooster. Especially if strangers pull up in the drive or walk by within site. Great guard dogs. And David is right, they're are grazers and snatch slugs. Five game (undomesticated) hens raised from chicks and adjusted to your property do great.
@@davidhaught84 Hey, I'm with you on any swarm, sugar water and honey should get them thru until her eggs start to hatch. However, I would close it up to near closed to help with maintaining the warmth 27° tomorrow night here tomorrow.
Get Muscovey Ducks. They don't quack. Ducks do eat most kinds of beetles.
@@ronbrendag7131 that is a good idea.
Geese are not quieter than chickens! Go check out the"50 ducks in a hot tub" channel and you will find out how loud they are!
Planning on doing my first hive/aipiary this year. Any tip/advice? Besides the obvious research.
Ya I do.
Decide what you want to focus on. Breeding, honey or both. THEN!!!!! Go to the video section of guys like Barnyard, Fat bee man, 628 Dirt rooster. UoG Honey bee research center, Canadian Beekeepers blog. Through these sites and many more you'll run across you will learn everything and anything there is to know about beekeeping. If you watch all of these peoples content and understand it you will be as knowledgeable as anyone and just missing the hands on experience. That will come quick. The biggest issue you will find in beekeeping is discerning fact from ideology and opinion. Some folks will demonize certain practices as harmful while the next guy uses it exclusively and has hives busting at the seams. Clearly it's opinion and ideology. You'll find this all over from using queen excluders to treating to feeding to equipment. Name it. The more you watch the more you learn and the more you will be able to cut through the BS yourself. Last year was my first year beekeeping and thanks to the pages I mentioned above I have never had need to ask a single question.
Here is the rundown of what you will find in the pages I listed above. Most of these sites have the same general common sense care info but they are each specialized differently.
Fat bee man will teach you how get started and raise bees with less than 2 wooden nickels to rub together. He's a bit ideological but you will get good info there.
Barnyard bees here will teach you how to make bees LOTS OF BEES!
628dirtrooster will teach you how to do cutouts and swarms
UoG Honeybee research center is all about hive management
Canadian beekepers blog is all about how to create monster commercial honey crops.
As i said much of the information is crossed showing different ways to do the same things but each of these guys are absolute masters in the subjects I listed above. and these guys explain what the hell they are doing. Really there isn't much you can do with bees outside of what these people do and do well. never watch one video. Search the subject.
Last piece of advice is to find someone in the same geographical area so you can learn specifics for your area. For instance in my case Canadian beekeepers blog is about 8 hours west and a bit south. He gets my weather, temperature, conditions and pest problems. As such I can watch his videos to see what, when and how. We don't have hive beetles so throwing a 2lb pollen patties on a hive at any time works here. Anyone with beetles would most likely have their hives over run and destroyed by beetles throwing masses of pollen supplements on top the hive.. That's why barnyard uses dry supplements so bees manage their stores in the comb. We use dry supplement also but it's more to give bees something to do before natural pollen comes out in the spring
That's my advice from one newbie to another. Go to each of these guys youtube walls hit the video tab and hit play all. Make sure you subscribe and like to support what these folks are doing.
@@RoughAndWretchedRAW Very good advice, I agree with everything you said!!!
@@ozarkbeestablerocklake5338 thank you! If this advice is followed he won't fail. I could list hundreds of videos because I've watched a thousand. But this shortlist cover every aspect I can think of. Between the folks I listed there is over a century of beekeeping and commercial success.
That really is great advice. There are a few other beekeepers I follow as well as those listed, but the generosity of those beekeepers is stellar and genuine, as is their knowledge base. And R.A.W. - don't ever be afraid to ask questions. The only stupid question is the one not asked. It may sound stupid, but it means that the information did not click - and that indicates a blind spot, not stupidity.
That's great advice.
Start with gentle bees and wear a suit until you are comfortable with your bees.
*Sees a thumbnail of someone holding bees*Clicks Video*
Great catch. 1st for the year. 😎🐝🐝🐝
When r your queens going to ready?
I'm sorry did that goose just hiss at you?
The Queen walked in on your right lol
Do bees ever swarm without the Queen?
where are you from? the accent sounds vaguely familiar. Maybe Pa.
I live in Ohio. If I ever need to requeen can you ship one up here?
Man I lover your work even if it gives me jitters every time they go on your hand....0_0
7:30 I wonder if you've developed a resistance to bee venom?
Bee refugees rescued!
Seriously, let us know how these girls turn out!!!!!
Mine are mean but they make delicious honey!
Have a female duck done me the same way every since the male duck came along
There is your queen at 6:13 in your video
Please dont mention mowing yet! Haha
I've already mowed three times this year
'6:12' If you ever get the *opportunity* to do this. Yeah bud that's one thing you can call it. :p
Aw, Goosie loves someone else.
Dont get goosed! Lol
Did Mr Ed give that thumb down?
lol I get that and see what u did there!! 😀
this is a super cool video! :) please make a follow up, thanks a lot!
Aren't the bees easily injured by handling them?
@@davidhaught84
I would be worried about hurting them. If a bee gets in the car I try not to handle it, I try shooing it out instead of catching it. I worry about the little guys.