Topic: Beehives

[Joe11]

Next year i am considering starting to keep bees but i have no idea where to get the hives from. I have looked but cant seem to find out any info. Also what sort of price are they per hive, and how about the price of the kit that is required?

Thanks
Joe

[Robert_Brenchley]

Several places do them. The cheapest source, unless your local Beekeepers' Association knows of any going cheap, is Thornes' winter sale, now unfortunately over. Their normal price is pretty high. http://www.thorne.co.uk/ . There are other places, and pine is cheaper than cedar. http://www.beekeeping.co.uk/ http://www.stamfordham.biz/ http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/parkbee/index.htm http://www.bees-online.co.uk/start.html

[Joe11]

cheers for the links, the prices are soe what higher than i was expecting lol

[Robert_Brenchley]

Contact the local BKA (you can get a contact from here: http://www.bbka.org.uk/members.php). if the worst comes to the worst, wait for Thornes' sale next year. Meanwhile, there's loads to learn, and you may well find a beekeeper who's willing to show you the inside of their hives. It's not cheap, but once you've got the woodenware, you've got it.

[Toadspawn]

I would agree with Robert, contact your nearest BKA, find out if they have any classes on beekeeping and/or their own apiary, latch on to an experienced beekeeper, initially obtain some protective gear and have a look in the hives to see what is there, what to look for and if you actually like bees buzzing around you and stinging you at times. 
Buy protective gear new if possible but try and get hives etc second hand  and let it be known that you would like a swarm if any are available. This way the bees will cost you nothing. To buy everything new is going to cost somewhere in the region of £200, but I haven't bought new for a long time , other than foundation so my estimate of cost may be very far off the mark. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

There was a swarm going in Solihull yesterday. It's extremely early for them, but I'm getting regular reports, and it looks as though this is going to be a big year for them.

[bombus]

Hi Joe,  you could try Brian Norris 01686 625250, he has National Hives made of Deal  for £42, this would be a cheap way to start. An even cheaper way is to make your own, as I do. A set of Drawings can be bought for all the popular hive types.

[Robert_Brenchley]

What are your woodworking skills like? The bought ones would be difficult, but there are easier types of joint to make.

[Joe11]

well my woodworking skills are pretty poor. I wouldn't like to imagine what a hive i created would end up looking like lol There is a field about a mile away from where i live with about 10-15 hives in so i might pop down there and see if the owner is about then i can talk to them about getting a hive etc. Cheers for your help guys