Question for Michael Bush (Hive Rotation)

[Understudy]

Hi Michael,

Oddball question has me thinking.
I know with the top entrance hive the brood is at or near the top. This is very true in the cases with my hives.

I know bees like to build down. However they will build up if they have to.

So if the brood is at the top and the honey is at the bottom. What is the best way to rotate boxes? If you go from bottom to up you end up with brood comb that may be a older but functional (I use permacomb or natural comb or starter strips). If you rotate down you end up going against the idea of the bees building down.

Is this there one way to do it during a flow and after a flow or does a flow have to be handled differently?

With the permacomb does it really matter if they build up (I add the box on the top of the hive)?

Is it different if I use natural comb?

Is it different if I use a starter strip? I understand it takes more work for them to build the comb but I figure after two years old the comb can be rotated out and melted down.

Thanks for letting me pick your brain.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

>I know with the top entrance hive the brood is at or near the top. This is very true in the cases with my hives.

Sometimes.

>I know bees like to build down. However they will build up if they have to.

They like to build where there is room.

>So if the brood is at the top and the honey is at the bottom. What is the best way to rotate boxes?

Like reversing brood boxes?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stopswitching

I just don't do it.

>Is it different if I use natural comb?
>Is it different if I use a starter strip?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

> I understand it takes more work for them to build the comb but I figure after two years old the comb can be rotated out and melted down.

You can rotate comb if you like.  If you're using no chemicals I think you'll find it less necessary.

[Understudy]

Thank You Michael.

One less excuse to pick up heavy boxes. :)

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Understudy]

Michael,

One of the other reasons for the rotation I forgot to mention was I wanted to get the deeps out. The deeps would be replaced with mediums but I wanted to do it in a gradual method. What is the best way to rotate the deeps out?

Sincerely,
Brendhan