Adding First Honey Super

[beek4018]

I hived my first package on April 5th.  By around April 28 they had drawn out 7.5 to 8 frames in the first box so I added a second one and transferred a two brood frames from the first to this second.  They seemed to be going great guns up to this point.

Now, a month later, the top deep has 7.5 to 8 frames drawn out and the lower still  has only 8 frames drawn out.  It's only the outside frames on both boxes that are not drawn and show few signs of activity.

Should I move the outermost frames in toward the center and back fill with frames of mostly capped honey from closer to the center?  I'm not sure I have any frames that are 100% capped honey/nectar.  I think they all have a bit of brood on them.  I don't want to split up the brood nest too much, do I?

When do I add the shallow up top for honey?  Yes, I've got 8 frames drawn in the top box, but still two empty down below.

Is it overly ambitious of me to think I'll need a honey super at all this first year?

Thanks.

[riverrat]

you pretty much answered your own question. I would rotate the undrawn frames into the edge of the brood nest they will then draw them out. i usually dont add honey supers until they have all the frames in the brood boxes drawn unless they are just booming and need the room then i will add supers

[Thymaridas]

Remember the bees work best when crowded, so let them crowd up.

Move the frames around to get them drawn.

[harvey]

I agree that you should move the undrawn frames in one and push a drawn frame out to the edges.  If you have eight frames drawn in the upper and lower box I would think you should add a super,  You don't want to shut the queen down by making them backfill the brood nest with honey.  With eight frames drawn and brood in a lot of them when they hatch they will need more room.  Just my opinion.