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Author Topic: Increase, what would you do?  (Read 6838 times)

Offline pdmattox

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Increase, what would you do?
« on: December 28, 2006, 09:26:11 pm »
What would be the fastest way or best method to get up to 50 hives from 10 1.5 story ten frame hives?

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2006, 10:47:50 pm »
Create 30 nucs in the spring.  Which would require 20 new queens.  In August do another split with from the strongest 20 colonies.  This is assuming you are not buying any packages or picking up any swarms.
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Offline Finsky

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2006, 01:07:34 am »

I would first raise a big hive and then I would split nucs from it .

If you have small nucs they build up much more slower than a big one.

In spring you get queen from south and they are not good perhaps on area were you live.

Second: I woud raise my own queen because 30 queens are a lot. You may start your nucs from maiting nucs.

If you bye 30 queen, where you get nuc bees in spring? That is hardest point.

Jorn Johanesson

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2006, 02:49:27 am »
This assumes that you can get queens early in spring. If this is possible you can split strong hives (for ease 9 frames with bees)into three  splits. one with original queen and two with new queens. You will of course  loose the first honeyflow, but everything have its price. Splits will grow strong if nursed, and be able to produce a honey harvest but seldom in record size. If you can get 50 hives this way I doubt, but you can fill up with bought in nucks.

Offline Finsky

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2006, 03:23:52 am »
This assumes that you can get queens early in spring. If this is possible you can split strong hives (for ease 9 frames with bees)into three  splits.

Let's look closer. Spring? How early?

When you have one box full of bees it is to me minimum in summer which is able to developewith it's own.  To me one box hive full of bees is in spring a unit which take care itself.  After spliting it takes 2-3 months before 3 frame nuc has one box full of brood. At same time one box hive have developed to 5 box unit.  It depends what is the queen.

Next: You need 10 hives to get 30 nucs?

If I have 10 hives I first harvest the year's yield and then in late summer I may split hive into one box unit and queens there. I get whole box 5 nucs from one hive.

I think that worst you can do is split hive in spring.  In Summer it is very different.

And then, suddenly you have 30 hives? What are you going to do with them? Have you skill to manage them?

Quote
but everything have its price.

People say that that but always you may get both honey and nucs, but the start must be big enough.  With 8 pound package bees you get both honey and splits in late summer. But who believes that?


Jorn Johanesson

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2006, 08:30:40 am »
What would be the fastest way or best method to get up to 50 hives from 10 1.5 story ten frame hives?

here is what Ian Davidson wrote in the Brittish Beekeepr forum :

Buzz: making splits early can seriously increase your honey yield as well as reduce swarming.

Earley splits can be made at the beginning of April with imported queens. I find that an average size hive can be split into three nucs one with the existing queen. A good advantage at this time of the season is that queens are readily accepted.

You do miss out on the Spring flow but recent seasons this has not been a huge loss. You have managable size hives building up through the main swarming period and good size hives to take advantage of the main flow.

If you want to feed forget about the candy it will not stimulate the colony.
I also find that feeding pollen is a waste of time in many areas. In this country and even in rural areas we have an abundance of earley flowering plants. In fact I see pollen coming in all year long.

If you wish to start feeding say in earley/mid Feb do so with a thick Syrup, with the rule little and often. Towards the end of the month a thin syrup will simulate nectar and stimulate the hive. Never over feed at this time of year it should be on an as needed basis clogging the hive may do more harm than good. A hive full of syrup can cause problems with a prolonged cold snap.

Once you have made your splits feed little and often to build and stimulate. Sticking a gallon of syrup on may seem like a good idea but does little more than take up space the queen could lay in. The idea is to try and simulate a slow steady nectar flow.

Learn to do your own queen rearing and carry some extra queens/nucs through the Winter. These extra hives will also give you the ability to do so. If you want earley queens try Norton and PM him he has some excellent bees.

Please remember with all the above weather will play a part and you will have to judge the conditions and your area.

Regards Ian

Offline pdmattox

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2006, 05:43:46 pm »
Thank you for the informatioon.  Now a decision must be made.

thanks

Offline Finsky

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2006, 02:56:26 am »

nOW i NOTICED

Offline Kirk-o

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Re: Increase, what would you do?
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2007, 10:52:28 am »
The fastest way would be to purchase bees hives or packages.
I purchased 100 hives when I first started in the 70's I got overwhelmed do it on a good gradient so you can handle the increased randomity
kirko
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