I live in the southwest desert and here it is dec 29th and my chickens are over run by bees. during the summer I can understand the need for water and I try to supply it but loading up on chicken feed oboy. They even enjoy the inside the coop and drive the 12 wk old chicks nuts.. I have no hives for miles as I live on a ranch and what neighbors I have share the same problems
with our pollinating friends..Any suggestions....

Larry:

I don't have experience with bees but they can travel miles from their hives once they have sourced food. The only way logically to stop them would be to make them think the food source has dried up. Is there any way you could keep the coop closed to ensure they could not get in for a while. I know that won't make the chickens happy but it sounds like they are not happy now and at least this might be short lived. At the same time I would set up a sweet water station some distance from your coop to attract them and to get them going in another direction. Once they have found that, possibly they will not hit your coop and you can open it up again.
Again, if that doesn't seem plausible maybe you should contact your Agricultural Agent or an Exterminator for advise.

Good Luck,
James

If you set a shallow pan up high where the chickens could not get into it, and put lots of smallish rocks in it, then filled it partway with water, the bees would be able to drink from it more easily than they probably can from your fountain. The further away from your chickens the better it would be. Could you move your bird fountain inside? Good luck.

I had a nest of hornets in my coop this summer, and my chickens ATE the them, so your problem may be solved that way.