One downfall to going all mediums...

HomeBru · May 16, 2009, 09:14:24 PM

Took Ben (13) and Josh (6) to our first local beeks gathering hoping to make some new friends and get some new ideas. It was definitely an experience for all of us, especially Josh. One of the surprises when I arrived was that they were raffling off a nuc that day, so I bought a handful of tickets hoping to replace Ben's absconded hive.

As we helped the hosting beek build the nuc package a major realization hit me: He's using deeps, we only have mediums. :shock: If we were to win the nuc, what were we going to do!!!! By the time the raffle took place I had decided that I had enough pine at home to quickly build one deep and lengthen a set of frames if I had to, but we didn't win so it didn't matter! I think Ben and I will be building a couple of deeps this summer "just in case" we happen to get our hands on a local nuc or meet a friendly beek willing to share...

It was a good day regardless! Lots of characters, lots of ideas and lots of "the only way it works..." and "you can't do...". :-D We'll definitely be hitting the next gathering.

J-

Natalie · May 16, 2009, 10:47:11 PM

I have been able to order medium nucs from some local producers but its always good to have at least one deep on hand if you need to start out with a deep nuc.
You can still use your mediums, after the brood hatches in the deep remove it.

sparks · May 16, 2009, 11:01:31 PM

I can tell you that it can be a problem in that respect. I went over to Lousiana to pick up a couple of packages and ended up buying a Nuc just because I could. Well the day after getting back I was really busy building a Deep to put them in along with extending some frames. They are now one booming hive and I have two mediums sitting under the Deep with one completly drawn and the other almost finished. I am looking forward to finding the queen and isolating her to the mediums so that the Deep can be emptied of brood and set aside. It is a bit of work to make the switch but I am determined to deal with 8 frame mediums only. If anyone has a better Idea of getting from a deep nuc to all mediums I would sure like to hear about it.

Chuck

contactme_11 · May 17, 2009, 06:56:18 AM

Homebru, it's too bad what happened to your hive. I don't know anything about the guy in this listing but it says he's still shipping packages. Maybe worth a try? http://cgi.ebay.com/3LB-PACKAGE-BEES-WITH-QUEEN-BEEKEEPING_W0QQitemZ200342594574QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Farm_Supplies?hash=item2ea559640e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A570%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

JayC · May 17, 2009, 08:27:10 AM

Quote from: sparks on May 16, 2009, 11:01:31 PM
If anyone has a better Idea of getting from a deep nuc to all mediums I would sure like to hear about it.

Chuck

Couldn't you just stack two medium boxes, mount the deeps in the top box, and put medium frames in the leftover space in both the top and bottom boxes? As long as you don't put a medium frame below one of the deep frames, then the deep will just hang part way down into the second medium box. Once they've spread onto the other frames you should be able to gradually remove the deep frames and replace each of them with a medium each in the top and the bottom.

A downside would be that they would likely build wax off the bottom of the deep frames top-bar-style since the frames won't reach all of the way to the bottom of the second deep box. But, when you want to pull those frames, just cut it off. Still seems like less trouble than building another box that you'll then be keeping around just in case you ever end up with another deep nuc again.

justgojumpit · May 17, 2009, 08:35:34 AM

You can shake all of the bees down into your medium, and then add a queen excluder on top of that. Put your deep with the nuc on top of the queen excluder. The nurse bees will come back up through the excluder to tend to the brood, and the queen will stay below with some other bees to start brood in your medium boxes.

justgojumpit

HomeBru · May 17, 2009, 09:34:23 AM

Quote from: contactme_11 on May 17, 2009, 06:56:18 AM
Homebru, it's too bad what happened to your hive. I don't know anything about the guy in this listing but it says he's still shipping packages. Maybe worth a try? http://cgi.ebay.com/3LB-PACKAGE-BEES-WITH-QUEEN-BEEKEEPING_W0QQitemZ200342594574QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Farm_Supplies?hash=item2ea559640e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A570%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Thanks for the link. $95 for a package and $80 shipping isn't worth it for me, tho! Ouch! That's almost 3 packages next spring...

J