Package Bees - Drawn Comb Setup

[A37]

I will be installing a 3lb package on drawn comb this April. I'm not sure if I should start with one deep or give them two. I know the queen needs some space to lay in the bottom deep but I also have a lot of frames of honey and pollen, not sure how to set it up. Since the comb is already drawn out, when do you add the honey supers.

Thanks

[Beezer]

I think you'd be wise to let them get started on the drawn comb and once you have 6 or 7 filled, as per standard, then I would add the next deep.

[sc-bee]

One
As far as honey supers... do you plan on using an excluder.

[A37]

Yes

[Michael Bush]

>I will be installing a 3lb package on drawn comb this April. I'm not sure if I should start with one deep or give them two.

One deep is twice as big as the ideal size for a package.  Two deeps is four times the ideal size for a package...  I would install them in a five frame nuc if I had one...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesspace.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnucs.htm

> I know the queen needs some space to lay in the bottom deep but I also have a lot of frames of honey and pollen, not sure how to set it up. Since the comb is already drawn out, when do you add the honey supers.

Yes, it kind of interferes with the "rule of thumb", but put them on drawn comb with honey and pollen and at least two empty drawn combs.  If they are in a ten frame deep, I would probably add another box in about a month or a month and a half.  When all of that comb is full of brood, honey, pollen etc. you'll need another box.  They will burn through the honey and pollen you give them very quickly, but it will give them a nice head start.

[Acebird]

As Mike says a nuc box is probably ideal but then you have to be on top of it so they don't swarm.  I put a package on two mediums which is about one deep and they did fine.  Reduce down the entrance so they can guard their hive.  I added another medium a month later.  It grew to 5 mediums packed full of honey but succumbed to mite pressure in September.