Ive heard differant stories about this. but I will start my hives in 2 weeks with 4 standered deep hives and 18lbs of bees. Im placing them east and in sun, they will get it first thing and last thing, full days of sun. It will be in the country around a lot of fields and trees. So how long should I expect to get honey or enough to harvest or try. Or is there something I can do to speed up process.
Face them south, they will preform better facing the sun all day long verses facing the sun only in the morning.
I don't know what type of equipment you have decided upon using but the general rule is that the first year is for building the hive if they are being placed on foundation. It will take them until Mid July to fully build out 2 deeps, at that time most major honey flows are over so harvesting slows down and the bees switch from a growth mode to a survival mode, cramming as much honey into those 2 boxes as they can so that by mid Sept or early Oct the brood nest is greatly reduced, most, if not all, of the summer foragers are gone and what is in the hive is the winter bees.
If starting bees on drawn comb it is possible to obtain a super of honey per hive for harvest.
What he said :-D
Ditto. I may add that the first year, no matter what i leave all even if there is a small surplus. I want them to go thru winter with plenty and, hopefully come strong next spring.
18 lbs of bees in 4 hives, that comes to strange size packages... ? Where did you get that?
no expectations = no disappointment.
Goodness, don't be in such a hurry !
Bee-Bop
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When I started hive keeping, it took 3 years before I got honey.
Just like Finiski said dont worry about the honey worry about whats going on good or bad inside that brood nest the honey will come later :) Thats beekeeping the honey is the reward at the end of the tunnel no knowledge of bees no honey bottom line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course bee health and growth is my first consideration, but keep in mind, why do we do this lol, I got 6 3lb package bees, thats how I got 18 lbs at one time. I got extra bees to help out with colony strenth and speed up growth. It all about the question at hand and feedback I get from experiance. If no honey this year, then so be it, but nothing wrong with hoping. all i wanted was a taste ;)
You can get honey the first 60 days. When you check them after about 2 months, you will find some capped honey. Stick your finger in it and lick it off. After that, you can get more honey about every time you go in them. In Sept. you may even find a frame you can take.
Most times when we think of getting honey, it is a super full. That will most likely be in your second year.
By the way I got my hive kits from a local supplier, Langstroth with prewired beeswax foundations
what are you going to do with the extra queens?
keep for a few days in case something happens to other 4. If all ok, I would to start a double queen hive on one or two hives with a excluder. I didnt want the extra queens but she would only deduct 5 bucks. so might as well keep em
why not start 6 hives and plan for 50% loss. 6 gives your the resources to hopefully keep your 4 when things go wrong...as they always do. those few extra bees that you were going to split between hives won't make that much difference in the long run, but the extra brood resources from two more hives might make a big difference.
Now how long have you been keeping bees? If this is your first year i sure as heck wouldn't consider a double queen setup. The books tell you how it should work in theory but in the end they don't tell you all the things that can and do go wrong. If i'm guessing right and you are a first year beekeeper call up your local farm exention office. They have a bunch of information that can help you along with classes and ways to get grant money for bees and equipment. Got alot of stuff to do in the first year before you worry about honey production.
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4 hives and 18 lbs bees. 4 x 4 = 16
But it seems to bee a good start. 4 lbs amount of bees occupies on langstroth box.
It takes about 4 weeks from start that new bees have emerged so much that hive start to grow.
Note that half of your byed bees have died. Then you need another box and it is better to put under that brood box. Bees occupye the box when they are ready.
If you are lucky to catch swarms, you may join the swarm into you hive.
When I started and i bought swarms, I noticed that 8 lbs bees is a good amount to one hive. If occupied 2 langstroth boxes, it drew 2 box foundations in 2 weeks (syrup feeding). It got one box capped brood and onether box capped honey.
But the amount of honey depends on the pastures, what kind of nectar flowers you have around and how near. Well nursed cornfields and hay fields are like deserts to bee.
i actually have 10 single deep boxes. I have two for each 4 doubles and a couple extra for swarms or expansions in future. and I just started, Ive never kept bees before. yes it is a lot of work first year thus why i dont want to have too many hives to control. Once I get used to it I will get more hives or sell my extra bees if its too much.
i have corn fields and hay fields right next door and I think some other kinda crops, alfalfa maybe. also neighbor has a few fruit trees. as far as flowers i dont know anything about them, just wild I guess
I got top feeder boxes for my hives, i plan to feed suger water and honey bee heathy, also i got pollen paties, they should be well fed
Quote from: Shanevrr on March 15, 2011, 08:47:51 AM
I got top feeder boxes for my hives, i plan to feed suger water and honey bee heathy, also i got pollen paties, they should be well fed
The start seems to be good. If you have some experienced beekeeper when you may assist his jobs. He will tell you what to do.
I look your weather. You have there chilly temps.
- Keep the hives warm.
- Top insulation.
-Entrance reduced.
-No mesh floor open.
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Don't try to "encourage" queen to lay. They know their job.
- Don't mix the order of brood frames. Bees have optimal ball what they keep warm.
- Brood rearing begins from some side. Bees start never in the middle of room.
- Don't keep the feeder on for long time. It steal heat from the hive. 10 kg sugar per hive is good when you start beeding.
- bees eate well pollen patty when they start to draw combs.
Quotebut keep in mind, why do we do this
Humm, I am not really a honey eater so, I guess I do it for the money? :lau:
All kidding aside, Iddee is right, poke your finger into some capped honey and enjoy then leave them the rest. Beeking is the same as farming, one season = one year. Can't be impatience with bees. :)