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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: mat299 on May 04, 2013, 09:08:06 am

Title: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: mat299 on May 04, 2013, 09:08:06 am
Ok, for discussion purposes, I would like to hear what everyone's favorite brood box configuration is.  One single deep, double deeps, one deep and then a medium, all mediums or something else.  I am a second year beek and last year I ran double deeps on all my hives.  This year, I installed some new packages in single deep brood boxes.  They are still in the single deeps as of now of course, but I thinking about running either single deep brood boxes this year or a single deep and a medium.  Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Steel Tiger on May 04, 2013, 10:14:41 am
This year it's a deep and two mediums...or however many extra mediums they want. Next spring when they're clustered up to, the deep will be taken away and replaced with a medium.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: iddee on May 04, 2013, 10:22:36 am
My favorite would be two deeps full of brood and 4 deeps full of capped honey. So far, I've never gotten my favorite.

I use either a deep and a medium for brood if I set up for honey, or 2 deeps if I set up for splits.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: bailey on May 04, 2013, 11:58:24 am
All mediums in a stack big enough for the bees.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: 10framer on May 04, 2013, 11:59:12 am
double deeps.  but i may start running a deep and two mediums on some hives eventually.  i plan on selling nucs in a few years and there seems to be a lot of demand for bees in medium equipment other wise i wouldn't do it.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: mikecva on May 04, 2013, 12:19:42 pm
I have been running 3 mediums for a number of years now. Before that 2 deeps but I had to swap the two deeps a few times and had problems with the weight. I even tried just swapping center frames (the bees did not care but it was a pain in the a_s doing that.) I convinced myself that an uninterrupted centered cluster in the middle box was better for the bees and have not regretted it since.

No scientific date here: since using all mediums I have not had to swap boxes in the spring.  -Mike
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: L Daxon on May 04, 2013, 01:07:11 pm
I have all 8 frame medium equipment so I run at least 3, sometimes 4 in late spring/early summer, brood boxes.  Back in the day when I could lift 10 frame deep equipment I used double deep brood chambers and think double deeps are probably better for the queen to lay in (don't have to cross into so many different boxes). But no scientific data to support that, and no back to support it either :-D.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: AllenF on May 04, 2013, 01:08:31 pm
2 deeps for brood.    I run shallows for honey supers.  
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: edward on May 04, 2013, 08:34:21 pm
10 frame double Deep with Queen excluder a high sided bottom board.


mvh Edward  :-P
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: BlueBee on May 04, 2013, 08:52:17 pm
I give the bees what the bees want.  Large 14.5” deep combs for brood.  Can’t get much easier than that. :)
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Georgia Boy on May 04, 2013, 10:08:49 pm
New to beekeeping and older than most so I am following bailey, Michael and others and going all mediums. The back isn't what it used to be.   :)

David
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Sparky on May 04, 2013, 10:39:54 pm
All mediums is the most favorite thing done since I become a bee keeper.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: RHBee on May 04, 2013, 11:16:21 pm
All mediums, 8 frame. Standardize equipment, as many as it takes.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: obxbee on May 05, 2013, 01:20:19 am
I'm using two deeps for brood, if they want more I'll give it to them. I'm making mediums and shallows for honey.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Joe D on May 05, 2013, 01:34:30 am
I am running double deep, ten frame for brood.  Have been running shallows for honey, this year I have some mediums for honey also.   Last year was catching swarms, put one in a shallow, latter added a deep and then another deep.  Had three shallow supers on it for honey and they swarmed last week. 




Joe
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 06, 2013, 09:48:15 am
As many eight frame mediums as they want.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: hardwood on May 06, 2013, 10:10:31 am
All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: 10framer on May 06, 2013, 10:34:07 am
All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott

i could have handled that 20 years ago, i probably would have still tried it 10 years ago but there is no way i could do it now. 
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Jim134 on May 06, 2013, 10:53:43 am
All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott

Did this in the 50s 60s 70s

 
In 1985 to now all 10 frame mediums and I do have some 5 frame mediums nuc no excluder!!!

As many 10 frame mediums as they want.





                            BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: rwurster on May 06, 2013, 12:13:28 pm
Ten frame double deeps for brood and mediums for honey supers, no excluders.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: SaltyBug on May 06, 2013, 01:35:28 pm
I have 3 established hives (since Oct 2012); so I'm new. 2 are double deep and 1 is a deep topped with a medium. IL 67 y/o
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: Nature Coast Beek on May 06, 2013, 09:31:24 pm
Running double deeps (10 frame) with shallows. No excluders.
Title: Re: Whats your favorite brood box configuration?
Post by: dfizer on May 07, 2013, 10:31:31 am
Ten frame double deeps for brood and mediums for honey supers, no excluders.

Exactly the same configuration for me!