# Are two deep brood's enough?



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-238611.html

Have a look through this thread. It refers to University of Minnesota Wintering Bees in Cold Climates. Three deeps to winter then split one box off. I think you might consider splitting earlier than August. I usually have to start doing some swarm control around 1st of July and the hive becomes overpopulated with nurse bees then.

I think some people feel that without stimulation feeding that a wintered over three deep colony gets going a bit quicker in the spring than a double. Spring build up is an issue where I am and am going to overwinter one colony that is now three deep just to see what happens.

For pure efficiency on the basis of pounds of honey per unit of equipment it seems that a single deep may be the winner but I think Fall and Spring feeding is a given with that setup.

If you are going to run three deeps you better have a strong back! If you have a flow with a summer dearth a three deeps colony can eat up a huge amount of honey in a hurry.


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## Biermann (May 31, 2015)

Hello Frank,

thanks for your info.

To clarify: I don't want to winter three deeps, only to have 'more accommodation' when the hive needs room, July & August. 

Dearth is not an issue for us, we just gone through a drought, but I have very good production. We are in irrigated (mountain water) area.

We also get max. 10-12" of rain with lots of sunshine.

I will try this on two hives next year, running additional two the normal (two deep brood's).

I will read your link tonight.

Cheers, Joerg


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Your spring would be a lot earlier than here so your bee numbers will climb quick. You would probably have no problem drawing out and populating a third deep. Splitting that off with a new queen should not hurt production of the main hive. You probably could even let the original hive make is own queen but that can take some fussing if they fail to mate and lay.

I have no experience with colonies that large and how much swarm control measures would be required. Three deeps could make an awesome swarm


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

I operate with two deep broods. I pull off NUCs to keep the population of my main hive under control. However, my goal is to not detract from the main hive and want it to produce as much honey as it can. Main hive produced honey very well.

I pulled four frames on May 26, bought a queen and made a five frame NUC. I pulled another 4 frames on June 4, bought a queen and made a second five frame NUC. On July 8, I pulled the queen and two frames from the second NUC. Started NUC three. I notched some cells in the second NUC and it has raised a laying queen. In July, I also removed a frame of capped brood from the main hive and put it in NUC 3 to give it a boost.

NUC 1 and 2 have grown to double 10 frame deeps. NUC 3 is in a 6 over 6 that I plan to winter.

I know another option is to do a 50-50 split. However, I do not want further production hives.


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