Moving overwintered nucs from nuc yard into production yard.

[Mark Smith]

I have a dedicated nuc yard about 25 miles from my production yard. This is the first year that I have overwintered nucs in a different location. When should it be safe to move those nucs into my production yard into standard equipment? What should I be looking for? What I don't want to happen is to let them get  over crowded and start wanting to swarm. I am 35 miles east of Charlotte, NC. Thanks.

[jalentour]

Mark,
Many of us will be doing the same thing this spring.
Each hive is different, so you will need to be the judge. 
When I feel the nuc is ready to be put into a deep would be about the same time I would put it in a production yard.  Reduce the entrance and be ready to put on another medium or deep as needed.  The standard advise on this site, as I have read, is when 7-8 frames are full, add a box. 
I run the bottom box a deep with mediums on top.

[BeeMaster2]

Mark,
From my experience, I would move them to the 10 frame box while they are in the nuc yard. The stress of the change can cause robbing and since you already have them separated, I would leave them there until they fill the full box.
Jim

[Mark Smith]

Mark,
From my experience, I would move them to the 10 frame box while they are in the nuc yard. The stress of the change can cause robbing and since you already have them separated, I would leave them there until they fill the full box.
Jim

That is probably what I will do. They are 5 over 5 nucs pushed side by side. I'll probably move them into 8 frame, let them settle, and then move them to the production yard. I should probably clarify that this production yard is for nucs not honey. The reason I overwinter nucs in this location is there are no colonies close. Thus reducing the chances of robbing problems when the nucs are made in the summer after the summer solstice.