I'm looking to see how others are setting up their hives and what works best. I had been running all mediums, but this year I am going to run a deep as the brood chamber, and mediums above that. Wondering if the extra brood/workers will help in honey production. Thanks for your advise
Down here in Florida, I run all mediums. That makes it a lot lighter lifting the boxes and keeping the equipment interchangeable. Every one that I have heard keeping bees in your area, tend to use deeps, 2 deep brood boxes through the winter.
Jim.
I run 2 deep brood ,with no queen excluder .it works for me .a lot more bees for honey production.if she want to lay above that I let her.she will move back down and when the brood hatch out they will backfill with nector. schawee
What do YOU want to use?
I also run all Mediums for the convenience of having all of my frames the same size, as well as a little less weight to lift.. I have no issues with honey production. I have a few deeps each year, inheriting hives from those wanting to give it up, and slowly convert them to mediums, removing a deep each spring.. I have not noticed ANY difference between using mediums and deeps for the brood chamber... Meaning two deeps or three mediums...
So basically, YOU decide what you want to use and GO with it!
Well, I have two yards with 5 each on different ends of the county, as an experiment, I will set one up with deeps and the other with mediums and see how it goes. I have a feeling this is gonna be a good year no matter what. Good luck to all!! :grin:
i like double deeps for brood chambers.
I think you'll get more bees with the medium boxes as the queen moves up and down more quickly. She hesitates to leave the deep.
Thank you for your imput Michael!