I'd like to do a very early split-help/information please

[challenger]

I have 2 hives that are jammed. I reversed the deep hive bodies 2 weeks ago and a week later took a look and the queens are laying in the top and bottom. Each hive has 6-7 frames of brood and more that have eggs/larvae. Both hives also have drone and drone brood. I can't get a queen for at least 5-6 weeks and would like to see about making a split or maybe even 2 and letting the hives make their own queen. Both hives seem to handle SHB & Varroa very well and I have not treated either with anything other than using a screen bottom-w-a SHB bottom trap that slides in to the bottom and I use diatomatious earth-not oil.
I know it is very early to split a hive but this winter in S.E. NC has been extremely mild and the bees are bringing in buckets of pollen and I started open feeding of thin sugar syrup last week but will go to buckets since it seems the bees are in brood rearing mode.
My plan was to split one or two hives by simply taking one box off a hive and placing the new hive, queen or no queen, next to the original box so they can share some heat and perhaps shake some extra nurse bees into the split. I have 2 extra deeps-w-drawn comb and I also have several frames-w-capped honey if it turns out one or more get light. I figure the syrup will be what they will be eating but it can't hurt to have honey in the hives.
Any input is appreciated.
Howard
Hampstead, NC

[Michael Bush]

>I have 2 hives that are jammed.

Well, that would be the first prerequisite for an early split.  Otherwise they usually don't do well.

> I reversed the deep hive bodies 2 weeks ago and a week later took a look and the queens are laying in the top and bottom. Each hive has 6-7 frames of brood and more that have eggs/larvae. Both hives also have drone and drone brood. I can't get a queen for at least 5-6 weeks and would like to see about making a split or maybe even 2 and letting the hives make their own queen.

I wouldn't make a split where I expect them to mate a queen until I see drones FLYING.  Drones have to be mature to mate and that takes a couple of weeks after they emerge.

> Both hives seem to handle SHB & Varroa very well and I have not treated either with anything other than using a screen bottom-w-a SHB bottom trap that slides in to the bottom and I use diatomatious earth-not oil.

Have not treated for how long?  I'm not saying it's a bad thing if it's a short time, but it doesn't prove much until it's been at least two or three years.

>I know it is very early to split a hive but this winter in S.E. NC has been extremely mild and the bees are bringing in buckets of pollen and I started open feeding of thin sugar syrup last week but will go to buckets since it seems the bees are in brood rearing mode.

I'd want them more than just in brood rearing mode, Id want them in full swing.  but if you have two boxes full of bees and brood bursting at the seams, you could probably do a split with no problems if you have drones flying.

>My plan was to split one or two hives by simply taking one box off a hive and placing the new hive, queen or no queen, next to the original box so they can share some heat and perhaps shake some extra nurse bees into the split.

It could work fine assuming eggs and young brood in both boxes, but the downside is that you don't know where the queen is and the queenless one doesn't need any extra room, while the queenright one will.

> I have 2 extra deeps-w-drawn comb and I also have several frames-w-capped honey if it turns out one or more get light. I figure the syrup will be what they will be eating but it can't hurt to have honey in the hives.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm

[challenger]

Yeah - I forgot to mention about the flying drones. I had them flying in early Jan. I remember being surprised at the drone on the comb and then heard the unmistakable "BumbleBee" sound of a drone flying around and saw a few more. I will make sure there are plenty before starting the split though.
I would rather buy a queen but the one early supplier I could get in touch with was for May 4th and he has not gotten back to me. I can get queens in mid April and that will be too late so I think I'm forced to do something and splitting was in the plans anyway.
Thanks-Howard

[bailey]

make the spilt! i checked the ones i started 3 days ago and they are building queen cells already!
they are also bringing in the pollen like mad!

i am looking forward to making these small splits ( 4 frame ) with all my strong hives as a swarm prevention move.

i will then have young queens to requeen the older queens as needed.
bailey