Looking ahead - When to reverse brood boxes?

[Rurification]

In the spring, when is a good time to reverse the brood boxes?   I know you don't 'have' to, but I'm moving to all mediums and the lowest box is a deep, so I want to take that one out.    We have buds on the silver maples already and I checked their sugar and put a pollen patty on this weekend.  The cluster is not very big and it is in the top box.   Crazy weather for the next couple of weeks [snow today, 60 degrees this coming weekend...] so there's no rush - I just want to be ready.

Thanks.

[AR Beekeeper]

If the cluster is in the top box you can remove the bottom box whenever you wish.  With deep hive bodies I usually don't start reversing until mid March here in Arkansas.  This would be about 40 days before the beginning of the main nectar flow.  Using medium boxes I don't usually need to reverse boxes, the queen will go down and lay on her own.  Only with deep frames do I see any hesitation in queens going down to lay in the lower boxes.

[DeepCreek]

I agree that if the cluster is in the top box you can safely swap them.  However, I would not remove the bottom box until you determine the size of the cluster.  A large cluster and a laying queen may certainly need both boxes.

[BeeMaster2]

I also use mediums. By the time the bees are in full growth, the queen is using both boxes and then some. As mentioned, if they are empty, pull them.
Jim

[Rurification]

Just so I understand -   I can take the deep out any time now, when the weather is nice and swap in a medium.   If I wait too long, she may start laying below.   I should double check the size of the cluster to make sure I put on enough boxes for the size they are now.     

There shouldn't be any problems with me just taking the deep out and swapping in a medium - as long as I double check for brood, etc.   Right?

Thank you!