# Using a Queen Castle



## BackYardPhenomena (Jul 11, 2012)

Getting ready to put my new queen castle to use. I get that the queen cell goes in, but what if you don't have any frames of honey to spare? Is it a bust?


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Maybe not. But, you will need to figure out a way to feed them.


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## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

BackYardPhenomena said:


> Getting ready to put my new queen castle to use. I get that the queen cell goes in, but what if you don't have any frames of honey to spare? Is it a bust?


What if your Mother decided not to feed you when she was pregnant? 
Not to be rude, but trying to make a point. If you are going to attempt to raise queens - even just one- you have to give them what they need to survive- food and bees to care and feed. So that means you also have to care for the bees raising her. Otherwise, raise honey in your colony and buy your queens elsewhere. If the cell is capped, you can get by with feeding syrup depending on what you are actually putting in thte QC.


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## iivydriff (Apr 20, 2011)

I just use a 5 frame nuc put two frames of bees in there and a queen cell. Then I use a boardman feeder to keep them fed good. The rest of the entrance I block with an entrance reducer that I drill about a half inch hole through it. They can defend that little 1/2 hole and the rest of the entrance is totally blocked. I have migratory type covers on my nucs. If its hot I will take a popsicle stick and put it under the lid on one end it will let some air move through the hive. I tried using a queen castle but there is just no easy way to feed the bees with one of them.


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## BackYardPhenomena (Jul 11, 2012)

Hmm good idea, what about using the standard two frame with an additional frame feeder system with a total of three frames in each section?


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## iivydriff (Apr 20, 2011)

you could do that. Those frame feeders are usually wider than a standard frame. Plus a nuc with two frames doesnt take much syrup. I just like keeping them out on the front where I can see if they need a refill. But I have used frame feeders in my nucs too. I only use boardman feeders when the flow is good. Boardmans will get a hive robbed quick in the late summer and fall around here where I live.


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## BackYardPhenomena (Jul 11, 2012)

I am thinking the two frames of bees are mostly brood?


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## iivydriff (Apr 20, 2011)

Found some queen cells in my breeder queen hive today. make two nucs I put three frames in there this time in each one. Put a frame with queen cell loaded with nurse bees has some emerging too. Then I took two frames from a booming hive with emerging brood both of those frames had lots of pollen and honey too. Then I threw in two frames of Honey just for good measure its supposed to get down in the 30's for the next couple nights I figured the 1to1 syrup might not do much good.


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