Wool Filled Layens Hive

Comments · 96

• HO

  @horsenroundstudio · 2 years ago

  This is excellent! I am a shepherd and was just approached by a beekeeper at a show last weekend about acquiring some raw wool to overwinter his hive. I've used wool for insulation, garden amendment, soil conservation, and a few other things (beside the usual spinning/etc.), but this was the first time I'd been asked about this. So here I am doing research. Thanks for helping get the word out about more uses for natural fibers!

  3

• KA

  @kakugo44 · 13 days ago

  Good looking hive!

• ZA

  @zattut · 3 years ago

  Nice job, and keep in mind that bees take water inside and you need some vents for moisture to exit. I hope you added some on the lid. Thanks for sharing

  5

• LO

  @longarmsupplies · 4 years ago

  As an added bonus, this is using up a resource that most sheep farmers toss(at least they do in our area).

  2

• CH

  @christinad2896 · 4 years ago

  Looks like I need to build another hive! Thanks for sharing how you built this hive

  1

• JO

  @johnthomas5806 · 3 years ago

  Double walled, interesting concept for an Iowa winter....

• RP

  @rpeebles · 4 years ago (edited)

  Great work Gene.  I built 3 of these last year as well with slight modifications.  I used foam insulation board instead of lambs wool...my insulation is 1" foam that was reclaimed from an old chicken house that was being taken down.  The main change from the plans was to reinforce the corners with ripped boards (I think they were 1.5"x1.5") on the inside.  This way you are nailing the plywood to the board instead of a just a plywood to plywood mating.  You also do not need the metal on the outside for reinforcement with the internal board.  For the holes you can use a forstner bit in a drill to cut a nice hole without a router.  All my layens hives are doing great here in Texas.

  8

• WE

  @wendygrant2735 · 4 years ago

  I like these videos. keep 'm coming. Thanks.

• BE

  @benjamindejonge3624 · 4 years ago

  Love your project, and I’m glad you mastered it. Though in my climate I use aac blocks because I have fixed places and my wife hated all this loose boxes in the fields so saying this yes I’m using as well layens hives,  and the smallest box wall  is 80 feet long and contains a round 70 colony’s of  carni bees.

• KL

  @KleverskoyeFarm · 2 years ago

  if you can 'CARD' the wool - it will put more air between the fibers and improve the R value.  You can get a drum carder or hand carders - or even a swing picker will separate the fibers for you

  3

• DO

  @dougroberts2722 · 2 years ago

  Good question, Mr. Gillis.

• ST

  @stevem5297 · 4 years ago

  Gene,  I have build this hive too and i found its better to add some framing lumber around the edges that you can staple the plywood to.  I used 11/4" around all edges and it worked out great.