Brand New-How many & what size supers?

[maddiekisses]

I hope to start beekeeping in the Spring.  I am getting conflicting information and am curious as to what you folks think.  Should I start right away with 2 deep supers and one medium super?  Or should I start with only one deep and one medium?  Or is there another combination more recommended?

I'd like to start with two hives.  It looks to me like nucs are the way to go.  What does everyone else think?  Maybe one nuc and package of bees?  I'm just anxious to see some real honey production this year and I figured at least one nuc would allow for that. 

Am awaiting your earliest response.  Thanks.

[Michael Bush]

I would start with five eight frame mediums... for each hive and I'd start with a minimum of two hives.

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

[indypartridge]

We need more info. Where are you located? It makes a difference whether you're in Wisconsin or South Florida!

The boxes can be heavy - one reason why Michael suggests 8-frame mediums. Filled 10-frame deeps can weigh 80 lbs. I run 10-frame shallow supers, and full of honey, they're a good 30 lbs. Also, having all your boxes the same size allows easy inter-changeability of frames. (I run deeps and shallows for different reasons.)

I tell new beekeepers not to expect honey the first year. If you get a honey surplus -great - but there's are a lot of variables that come into play.

For beginners, I recommend nucs, providing you have a good local supplier. The folks at your local bee club can probably direct you to someone.

[AliciaH]

I agree with the above.  It's more a weight issue.  If your goal is to keep bees for years, you have to give some forethought to weight.  I started with 2 10-frame deeps (with mediums for honey supers above that) and quickly discovered that lifting that top deep off to inspect the lower one was too hard on my back.  I've been transitioning to 1 deep and mediums.  Someday down the road I can see using all mediums, or even shallows.  But then, I started with 10-frame size boxes.  One of the things that makes the weight of 10-frame equipment difficult is the awkward lifting due to their size.

8-frame hives are a great compromise and offer the additional advantage of not being quite to wide. 

As for nucs, make sure you talk to people who have already purchased nucs in the past.  I've made no secret that I prefer packages for brand new beekeepers, but that's because the nucs that we've been getting in my corner of the world have not been healthy.  Not all suppliers are like that, though, and nucs can offer some great advantages.  Just do some background checking first so you're not disappointed.

[maddiekisses]

Thanks for all the info.  I do want to go with an 8 frame set-up as I think this will be easier for me to handle.  And mediums make a lot of sense as well. 

As for my location, I am in central California, valley and desert and some snow in the winter. 

Thanks.

[organicfarmer]

Other thing is most nucs come on deep. Start to see some local suppliers of nuc on medium but it's like a needle in a haystack. Search hard.
Good lcuk in your decision

[woodchopper]

Other thing is most nucs come on deep. Start to see some local suppliers of nuc on medium but it's like a needle in a haystack. Search hard.
Good lcuk in your decision

Many of the ones in MA. are finally figuring out to keep their market share they have to sell mediums because the amount of beeks using only mediums is growing. I personally won't buy NUCS for $110-$145 here in MA, when I buy packages for $75.
I have to go into our brood chambers throughout the year to do powdered sugar treatments and as I get older my backs health outweighs the small cost increase of using all mediums especially after you factor in your comb rotations practices. To the OP try and educate yourself to all the pros and cons prior to making your initial purchase. We made some dumb mistakes because we trusted our bee school instructors advice to go the "traditional route". Good luck !!