New House.

Hi All, We have moved house, which involved moving the top bar in a van fro 4 hours, we were worried before we started, but we had no disasters, no comb breaks, a few lost bees at the old home, but the new bees have settled in grand.  Had a check of them last week, and a wee bit of chalk brood, not much honey, but lots of brood comb.  I fed them with some sugar syrup and we will see how we go from there.  Bees are very active and we have a massive shrub here that they love, although the gardening police want to crop it. 

I don't know what this bush is but my girls and the local bumbles love it. 

On the left is my top bar and Queen Kylie is on her second year, but we have still not had a surplus of honey.  I bought a polystyrene hive this year so I could move a Queen cell in there to double my hives, but as yet, although I have had a few play cells, I have had no real swarm threats.  So polystyrene  hive is an elaborate bait hive at present. 

Buffy and Rhoda are loving the new garden, I am letting them free range as often as I can and I move their run weekly so they always have fresh grass and a new dust bath.   

Mr T made a new run for them, but it is a bit hefty.  ideally, I would like it on wheels with an additional door. But it does keep them in, unlike our other attempts. 

I bought an incubator the other day and some 'fertile' eggs, but I don't think they have been fertile, I may have to get some new eggs.  But the plan is to get more chickens one way or another, which will involve the necessity  for a new pen. So thought I would have a go at building my own. 

Stage One, an old bed frame. 

I decided to go for a triangular shape. Will let you know how I progress.