Splitting a package into multiple Nucs

Started by Cuttingedge, May 16, 2016, 08:04:09 PM

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Cuttingedge


I installed 4 packages three weeks ago.
One of them I put into a 5 over 5 frame Nuc with some frames of drawn comb and a few frames of honey. The rest was all plain foundation. As of last week they have drawn out a few more frames leaving the outer frames of both boxes untouched. I am going to do hive inspections this week and would like to try splitting this one package instead of putting it into a regular 10 frame langstroth. Should I split it a few times and make up some Nucs and see how it goes or just split it in half? My hope was to manage this one package into multiple nucleus hives that should be 5 over 5 for overwintering.
Any Thoughts???

cao

I would worry that at three weeks after installation of a package that they would bee a little too small to split.  The first batch of brood hasn't hatched yet.  I wouldn't rush things.  When you do split, I would just split them in half.  If they have to raise their own queen, they will need the extra bees.

Cuttingedge

I should have been a little more clear in my post, I am not going to split them yet. I am anticipating splitting them in June at some point. Since I have other hives that I can take some brood from, I would like to split this one into multiple Nucs. Im thinking worst case, they don't build up that much and I can combine the weaker ones in the early fall.

cao

If you are wanting multiple splits, then I would remove the queen and a frame or two of capped brood and nectar/honey(artificial swarm).  Make sure to leave all eggs and young larva in the hive.  Check back in a week.  There should be multiple queen cells capped.  Split to you hearts content.  If you are lazy like me then each frame with queen cells gets put in a separate nuc.  The rest gets evenly divided.  If you want the maximum number of splits then you can cut out each queen cell separately.  This winter was the first that I tried to overwinter nucs(5 over 5).  I didn't have any luck(still learning myself).  So I can't give any advise on that part except that they need to be packed full going into winter.   

Hope this helps a little.