# Eco food-floor



## Crnabeekeeper (Apr 17, 2016)

I built two top bar hives this winter, intending to use an Eco-floor in them. I eventually decided against it and meshed over the bottom, but left the removable empty floors below. I took them off today and saw a few of what look to be small hive beetles and some larvae crawling through the detritus. I dumped the whole thing into my chicken coop and the girls went crazy and devoured it. So I've turned the small hive beetles into eggs and fetilizer. Anyone else have a symbiotic chicken-bee relationship going on in their yards?


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## AvatarDad (Mar 31, 2016)

When I was researching coop designs I found several pictures online of TBHs with a small chicken enclosure underneath. I read in a book and several websites this is a *terrible* idea for your chickens. 

My chickens live about 70 feet away from the bees. My bees are friendly enough... but I'm happy with them separated. I would love to have the hens vacuum up some SHB larvae if I could figure a way to do it safely. 

So, no links for me yet.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

I've read about some others who do this. I don't see how it would be terrible for the chickens, but the beetles don't like it, I'm sure! I built a couple of eco-floors, too, but realized that in here in the South, it would just become SHB paradise and changed their function, screening them off and adding diatomaceous earth. Then I switched those for long tubs of mineral oil. Now I have solid bottoms with my screw-in traps to take care of the beetles. 

For chicken treats, I stack up a bunch of small, empty planter buckets I had lying around from gardening and set them in my sheds. They quickly turn into ****roach motels. They'll hold dozens, and the chickens will come running for the feast when I bring the stack out.


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## AugustC (Aug 7, 2013)

Not with bees no but I compost using Black soldier fly larvae and the chickens LOVE those.


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