# Selling Nucs



## greg zechman (Nov 2, 2010)

Definitely a strong box....wood 5 frame container...maybe dcoates style....something that a beekeep can keep..... I have not tried pierco..so cant answer to that...maybe it would introduce or start other ..new,, beekeeps to that style of foundation.....and need to keep the price in the 125-135 range.....and a sister or daughter queen of a known heritage...ie russel carnolian or such....thanks greg........ps by the way those mermaids down there turn me on!!!!!!!


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks for the reply.
I would probably order Nucs from Mann-Lake etc, assemble and paint myself.
Hopefully plastic frames won't be too much of an issue, I would think people would be concerned with indroducing plastic to a wood frame Nuc not the other way around. I suppose that my queens are sister queens of proven stock, I would be uncomfortable labeling them as such. I can share info on where my bees came from but to open mate queens and label them as a particular breeders stock wouldnt be right. Miksha is close so I have I could queen with his stock... $$.

My son goes to the same high school as most of the mermaids!!!

Sorry that wasn't nice.....


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

I want good bees. Bees that are disease free, healthy and have mite resistant genetics. Bees that have all the attributes needed to producee a population explosion. I bought some nucs this summer, and they are more like splits. At best, it is my hope that these bees make the winter. 

Yes, I would like a good nuc box that I can reuse as opposed to card board. That being said, the quality of the box would have to be reflected in the nuc price. Therefore, a good box and another 20 bucks or so on the cost of the nuc is a wash to me.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Mbeck said:


> I will probably offer Nucs for sale sometime in the future.
> 
> What would people that normally buy between 1-10 Nucs like to see.


I personally do not think frames matter with the exception of very little drone comb. Frames of good healthy bees and a frame of food are paramount.
Carboard boxes keep your price down. Wooden cost more and therefore should reflect the price....even if it is a deposit, refunded when boxes are returned. Not everyone returns boxes.
Your queen, the cost to buy a replacement queen is not cheap. I know in Canada we pay $25-29 for a mated queen. The reality is, even if you raise your own queens that is not an outrageous cost. The resources for the bees and you and time to get a good mated one is not cheap. And for every mated queen which is successful, you will have atleast one in the productoin which is not but still cost to make it.
As for the bees, there is a cost too. A cost to get the hive to a size for selling nucs at the right time of year. Feed, pollen supplement and even health costs if required.
Then on top of that there is the cost of a replacement queen if the one you send fails, or if the nuc fails. Also remember the time it takes to make a nuc and ensure either you have a queen.

Here the going rate is about $140 for a 4 frame nuc. The price has even seen $150 per nuc for small orders + the box and the queen comes from the parent colony. I think the parent colony queen is a good idea. Why, because now you do not have to hold on to the nucs for a several days to ensure they take the new queen, or that if the new beekeeper installs a new queen a higher risk of failure. That said, now you have to install a new queen in your hive...is every install a success? Everything costs. Pencil it out. Assess your ability for install success, assess your time in finding the queen in the colony. Make up a nuc just for fun, make several. Not every queen is easily found. An exercise in how long it takes to make a nuc, equating some $ value to your time

This year I sold a few 4 framers for the first time for $140. The hives were so full of bees it took forever to find the queen. Normally 5 minutes there she is, this time however, wow! I called to a few beekeepers who have done so for years to find out how they make them up. Most beekeepers do not shake many extra bees in the boxes..I asked. However I did, about three frames shakes. I let the buyer know that this would not be the norm. I plain just had more bees than i wanted. EDIT on the box....I sent the nucs in wooden boxes. Hubby made them. Because they were locals, I told them the deposit was $20, but i would forgo the deposit because I knew them and I knew where they lived LOL, but my deposit on the nuc box was and will be $20

Remember, there is a very real cost associated with getting a hive ready to make nucs, a real cost in queens, even if you raise your own, and a real cost in replacement if the buyer messes up...


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## greg zechman (Nov 2, 2010)

Well said honeyshack!!!


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

I forgot to mention price. If I get good quality nuc for 175 bucks, I will be happy. If I get a poor nuc that withers away for 110 bucks, I will not be happy. Give me a good nuc and name your price. I am going to purchase some Beeweaver nucs next spring, and they were 185 dollars this year. Good money for a good product. 

HS makes some really good points about selling bees, especially about your time. Remember that there are a lot on menail jobs out there thay pay 10 dollars an hour and provide insurance. Your time is worth some money.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Lazy shooter what is your price point with a new well assembled and painted box?

Disease free and healthy are the goal for everyone.

Mite resistant and attributes needed to contribute to a population explosion are harder to demonstrate. I'm guessing that you would like queens from a specific breeder?
I have Italian bees quite a few are open mates Cordavon type queens.
Some of these brood up very fast, they also will consume all their stores quickly. They seem quicker to develop a higher mite load. They define explosive population.
The Italian banded seem to be more steady consume less, mite load climb slower but they don't Brood up like some of the light bees they are also a not as docile.
I'm happy with both but these are my general, somewhat inexperienced, smaller sample size conclusions.

Can you describe the Nucs you bought that where more like splits? Would four frames established with one frame of drawn out newer comb just beginning to be worked satisfy you.
Four good frames lots of bees,brood etc can build out to swarm quickly in the right situation.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks for the replies.
Good points!
Honeyshack you are very right about cost, even in your case having to go pick up a Nuc box that someone doesn't return can be $20.00 just in gas. Replacing Nucs,queens and dealing with people all cost money.
I won't ask for deposit on box,frames etc. I don't think people want to deal with that, I don't.


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

Mbeck:

I sent you a private email on your last question.

Lazy


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## Nature Coast beek (Jun 10, 2012)

Here's my recent nuc experience and what I looked for...

Okay, paid $100 for a June nuc from a reputable source that stocks both Italian and Russian bees with Italian queens for sale. I did drive across the state (2 hours one way) and was given a boiling box of bees! The frames were chock, CHOCK, full of brood with some new, crammed comb having been built in the tight box space with eggs having already been deposited in every cell of that comb. All 5 frames were loaded and again, the bees were BOILING. The supplier even stated it was a "strong" nuc and needed to be transferred quickly (I had been in contact with the supplier for a couple of weeks so I think he made this nuc up with plenty of notice). The nuc was in a box, the folded nuc type, and in pretty good condition. I will certainly be able to use the box again, but not a deal maker/breaker. To me, it's all about the bees and frames. The frames were a mix of both plastic and wood, but ALL frames were fully drawn and loaded with brood, larvae, eggs, pollen, honey. Oh, did I mention the bees? The frames were covered with bees, no need to go rummaging for a queen, what I saw was what I needed to see.

The biggest things that struck me when opening the nuc was the amount of bees and the condition of the frames as far as being loaded with all stages. The actual box, no concern one way or the other. It just had to be good enough to close tight so I could get the bees home safely. Only two bees got out and buzzed the back window all the way home. What type of bees exactly? Well I already knew from the website what he dealt with (Russians and Italians with being an Italian queen seller) and was comfortable with that going in. What did I really get? Most likely an openly mated Italian queen with frames having probably been pulled from both Russian and Italian hives. A mix. As far as selling nucs, I think the smart thing to do would be disclose the source of the queen stock you're working with and be able to show some trace (bill of sale and what not) of the lineage. Also state that the queens are openly mated. If they are inseminated, state that. Also, if you're a registered queen breeder with the state, provide that info as well. I know the state of Florida does have a voluntary best practices outline for both keepers and queen breeders, with queen breeders having to maintain specific amounts of drone colonies placed in specific radius of mating yard(s). If you're following them, state that. I would think that you're going to get some push-back from some that will be concerned with the whole AHB. If you're working with feral stock or what not, you'd better state that. If you re-queen yearly (again, best practices here) state that and be able to show lineage. Also, when the pick-ups come, I would have a parent hive on premises so you could show attributes. 

Good luck, and all this is just my recent little purchase experience and .02


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

David Miksa is right there close to you, and his stock is awesome!


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

Mbeck said:


> What would people that normally buy between 1-10 Nucs like to see.
> Wood box or cardboard?
> Is Peirco a problem for most?
> A "name brand " queen or local generic italian queen?
> Any other thoughts?


1. I would prefer wood box. The cost is not much more, and then you have a spare nuc box.
2.Peirco is not a problem for me. To me, what is in/on the frames that is much more important. The next frames will be the buyers choice.
3. A local queen is fine with me. Although it is neat to see different genetics at work.
4. Small cell would be a selling point with me.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Around here you can get a 10 frame established single story for $135. Don't know the heritage of their stocks though. Paying $175 for a nuc seems high unless it's great stock and it better be full of bees and ready to go into a permanent hive body.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks for sharing!
BMP etc I have those plans covered.

I don't believe that here in this county AHB is a big problem. It's something to consider and guard against just not an everyday concern.

I think there is some Russian Bees north of here...I'll want to stay away from! Hehehehe


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

westernbeekeeper said:


> David Miksa is right there close to you, and his stock is awesome!


Miksha is about an hour away. It might be a good idea to Queen all the Nucs with Queens bought from him he is pretty much world famous. His prices are fair as well.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I used the Mann lake cardboard Nuc boxes. I was not happy with the way the frames sat on the frame ledge. Rather unstable allowing the frames to shift and drop. I worried a lot about the queen getting killed in transport. Might check that out. I advertised mine, as localized and treatment free. Five frames, drawn comb with some honey and pollen, added capped brood because mine were out the door before May1st, with verified laying queen. I sold them too cheap for 100.00. Could have sold more for more. I've gotten emails that folks were very happy. I think folks want to see a lot bees, and capped brood. You will get return customers when the nuc takes off and does well. You will get new customers because they go to their clubs, and talk about the bees they got from you. Their friends who decide to get into beekeeping will come to you. 
I plan on ramping up a little next year.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Rick how many did you make to sell your first year ?


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

The nucs I've seen for $100-$150 don't come with a nice wooden nuc box, only the $8 cardboard boxes. I think the price would have to be $40 higher to include a new wooden box.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Mine were $125 for a nuc in a Jester nuc box, less if you ordered more than one.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

KQ6AR,
$40.00 more for the wooden Nuc puts those California price at $140.00 to $190.00.

I wonder if I can offer enough value to offer a Nuc for close to $200.00. I've not heard of any selling here near that price, so I don't know what factors would contribute to a good value at in that price range.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I plan to charge around $165 next year for overwintered nucs.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

What type of guarantee or return policies do you have?
Has anyone seen any company that has a written policy that they like?

How do you deal with people that aren't happy?
"Sorry they where fine when they left here"
"Bring back the equipment and get your money back or another Nuc"


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Frost Proof Fl. 
MBeck look at Craigslist Tampabay for the entire ad
Hope it helps you some 

Honeybees for Sale: Available anytime. ~Taking orders for spring~

Nucs: Five frame nucs in small nuc boxes; $85 ea, $10.00 deposit on box. Nuc is composed of bees/brood/laying queen, and feed. 9 5/8th standard equipment. Medium brown in color. 

Starter Colonies in 10 frame standard, deep equipment; $130. Includes bottom board, inner cover, and outer cover. Five frame nuc in center of box (bees/brood/laying queen/feed) and five frames of foundation. Perfect for a beginner or to have another colony ready to go. 
Please email with any questions!
Bees are located in Frostproof, Punta Gorda, and Arcadia FL. 

Honey, beekeeping, bee, comb, local, colony, hive, beehive


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Cam,
I went to college in Proviedence we used to go to Purgatory Chasm is that close to you.
Those years are a little fuzzy for me!


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

mbeck,
Made 15, sold 12, kept three for my own use. (and to see how they did


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I think the DCoates style plywood box might be the way to go if you are handy with a saw. That way the box is not going to collapse by the time you sell it. I don't know about you but I am kind of reluctant to let the 5 frame nucs I have built for myself leave.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.
I live about 20-30 miles away from Miksa also.

I'm sure I'll be dealing with him sooner or later.

.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

tommyt, thanks I didn't see that are they your bees

Adrian, I am not handy with a saw and the crap I would build would devalue all my hard work


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## Yucca Patrol (Mar 31, 2012)

I paid $90 for each of my two five frame nuc's this spring from a local beekeeper. I gave back the empty boxes.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I agree, are the ones you're seeing locally giving you a new wooden box at that price? You could charge a $40 deposit refundable on return.
We sell a few nucs every year the person buying the nuc brings their own 10 frame box. We inspect & fill the their box together, usually ends up being more than 5 frames. But I'm small time just selling 1 or 2 at a time.



Mbeck said:


> KQ6AR,
> $40.00 more for the wooden Nuc puts those California price at $140.00 to $190.00.
> 
> I wonder if I can offer enough value to offer a Nuc for close to $200.00. I've not heard of any selling here near that price, so I don't know what factors would contribute to a good value at in that price range.


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

I see where BeeWeaver is selling honey bee colonies. The colony includes a bottom board, inner cover, telescoping top cover, eight frames of bees and honey in a deep box and one double frame division board feeder. The buyer get all of the afore mentioned items for $270.00. I mention this, as this should set the limit of a nuc somewhere south of this number.

This is the only instance I have seen of a commercial beekeeper selling a colony, but if you want the real deal this is it. You wouldn't have to wait for the nuc to grow, and barring a disaster this would be honey this year.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I made my own wooden Nuc boxes. I raise the Nucs in these. Then I transfer the frames a day or two before pickup, screen the entrance the night before. I was using some scrap # 8 to just close the entrance. I became concerned when the bees were chewing the cardboard. I switched to metal window screen and used a larger piece.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I have sold nucs each spring for the past few years. I raise all of my nucs in Dcoates style boxes. Most of the time the customer comes in the after noon before dark. I transfer the frames into their equipment wait until dark screen them in and the customer takes them home. Sometimes if this does not work for the customer I will transfer the bees into a cardboard box a few days before the customer comes to pick the bees up. The night before pick up I close the cardboard nuc up and move the nuc to the shade and customer picks up at his convience.

My favorite way is to transfer the bees to the customers equipment in the evening. This way I can show the customer exactly what they are getting, I can normally show them the queen that way there are no surprises. I know and the customer knows when they left with the bees they are getting what they paid for. This obviously would be too time consuming if you are selling lots of nucs. So far I have only sold 10-20 each spring. It has worked well for me so far.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Understanding that customs and ways of doing business are regionally dependent, I would never buy a nuc that was loaded by the supplier into my own equipment. I have sometimes been 200+ miles from the nuc provider. I would much rather return a nuc box to collect a deposit on my schedule. I have driven 100+ miles to return boxes - the supplier wasn't home and I left the boxes with a note saying who they were from. A few days later I had a check in the mail.

I have purchased nucs packaged in both the temporary cardboard boxes and in highly customized wooden nuc boxes. I much prefer the wooden boxes, but the cardboard was real convenient when I lived a long way from the provider.

In this part of the country, both 4 and 5 frame nucs are commonly sold. The 4 framers sell for a bit less (but not 20%) less than the five framers.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I like supplying them in the Jester nucs. Just close the tab and off they go. I guarantee 3 frames or better of brood and a laying queen.


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## GLOCK (Dec 29, 2009)

Mine where 135 and i had to take my own box and i did this with two diffrent apirys i thought that was the norm.
And i have 5 swarms i took around the same time as i got my nucs this year and my swarms a bilding a lot faster then my nucs.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Lots of good thoughts!
Thanks to everyone for the input.
I fairly sure I don't want to chase boxes around or mail refunded deposits back.

Does anyone have any stories of having to refund for a dud or replace a Nuc or queen?
I'm sure everyone try's to provide a good product but how did you deal with the phone call a day to a month after you sold it?


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Mbeck said:


> Lots of good thoughts!
> 
> 
> Does anyone have any stories of having to refund for a dud or replace a Nuc or queen?
> I'm sure everyone try's to provide a good product but how did you deal with the phone call a day to a month after you sold it?


I had 2 [out of120] go queenless shortly after the customers got them home. Sent them new queens with instructions how to install. Both were happy and their nucs are doing well.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Mbeck 
No they are not mine, I believe I saw the same ad last year. 
As to your venture, I like the Dcoate nuc Box's as a cost effective 
Box, I raise only my own but use them for all Nuc's
I even have them bottom less and double up to 10 frames 
I then will set them in a permanent 10 frame box when time allows


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## Widdy (Jan 12, 2012)

I don't think pulling 2 frames of brood a frame of pollen, a frame of honey and a misc frame with a bunch of shaken in bees from multiple hives with a introduced queen is a Nuc. To me this is the same as a package with brood.

What I want for a Nuc is a split from a strong hive with them either raising a queen or a introduced queen that has already been laying in the Nuc. The Nuc needs to be old enough that the queens first round of eggs has started hatching and bees need to be crammed in the box. I don't care what the bees come in because they will only be in there long enough to be moved into my 10 frame boxes. The guys around here have you drop off your own equipment and then move the frames over to your hive and wait till dark to seal it off. This gives the buyer a chance to see what s/he is buying before they take it home.

People that want there Nucs to come in wooden boxes just don't want to spend the time or money to build them. Why would someone buy a Nuc that is not ready to go into a larger hive?


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Widdy said:


> I don't think pulling 2 frames of brood a frame of pollen, a frame of honey and a misc frame with a bunch of shaken in bees from multiple hives with a introduced queen is a Nuc. To me this is the same as a package with brood.
> 
> What I want for a Nuc is a split from a strong hive with them either raising a queen or a introduced queen that has already been laying in the Nuc. The Nuc needs to be old enough that the queens first round of eggs has started hatching and bees need to be crammed in the box.


Isn't this the definition of a Nuc.


Stong is good, just about to swarm is a difficult product or Nuc buyers to deal with.
It you are a newer beekeeper, don't have extra decent Nuc boxes or have to travel with your new Nuc in a car I think that all things being equal a good quality box might be worth a premium price. How much extra is the question.


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## Widdy (Jan 12, 2012)

Mbeck said:


> Isn't this the definition of a Nuc.
> 
> 
> Stong is good, just about to swarm is a difficult product or Nuc buyers to deal with.
> It you are a newer beekeeper, don't have extra decent Nuc boxes or have to travel with your new Nuc in a car I think that all things being equal a good quality box might be worth a premium price. How much extra is the question.


All the bee keepers around here that I know that sell nucs will split a strong hive and either have them raise there own queen or add a queen they have raised to the hive. Then they wait till the queen has had her first two or more rounds of eggs hatch to ensure she is a quality queen with a good laying pattern. The boxes are full of brood and bees from the queen, not just from the hive they were split from.


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

What I look for in a nuc is enough bees to cover the brood and not much more, a good brood pattern, a queen and the assurance from the seller that the queen we are looking at laid that brood pattern. I don't need the box overflowing.


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## Riverratbees (Feb 10, 2010)

I sold 30 this year in cardboard nucs. Full of bee and capped brood. All they had to do is a transfer to the hive not one complaint. Quality nucs $90.00 ea. could have sold 100 next year I will have the hives to do it with. Wooden nucs are good just a added expence to the customer.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Riverrat. Whose cardboard nucs did you use? Thanks.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Widdy...I am with you. A good nuc is 5 frames, at least one or two brood frames from the new queen. The others should be covered with bees, honey and pollen.

I sell 100 each year. In wooden, box jointed boxes, migratory tops. Top Jar feeder hole, and feeder cap. (I make them during the winter)

I take orders, no deposit. When the nuc is ready I call (or e-mail) the next person on the list. If the person has decided for whatever reason, they do not want them, no problem, I just go to the next person on the list. 









Here is a photo of what the nucs look like.

Mine are $125.00 I transfer into customer box for $95.00. But, this is more work because the custormer is rarely prepared for the transfer. (Poorly fitting equip, entrance not blocked (or easy to block) not prepared to secure for transport, etc.,

If a customer wants them put in his equip, I prefer to have the equipment for at least two or three weeks. I transfer into their equipment and when ready I call for pickup. That way I know the transfer was made properly, and the bees and queen are fine.

.






This photo shows customer equipment that I have transferred bees into. (Ron, you will recognize your boxes)(Dowell Bees)

There is another very good thread on this subject. Search "standard for nucs" lots of good info there.

Hope this has been helpful.

cchoganjr


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Cleo,
Yes, your comment where helpful.
You have provided a good option for people that don't want the added expense of a Nuc box.
Where do you find the best value on jointed Nuc boxes?

I wouldn't plan to take orders or deposits. If I make up 20 and if only ten look great that is what I'll sell. I'll keep the extra ones requeen, combine etc.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Mbec...I make all of my own equipment, so I haven't looked around for the best value on jointed Nuc boxes. But, I am sure there are lots of places to get them. I'm retired, (U.S.Army) and I combine beekeeping and woodworking as a small busines/expanded hobby.. I make the nucs and standard boxes during the winter months, then transfer bees into them starting in late March. My 100 are sold out each year by mid-June.

In the world of bee suppliers, I am a small peanut. But, there is tremendous demand for nucs and I encourage anyone who has the time, and would like to do it, to supplement your bee hobby/small business/honey production, with providing nucs, and it is a service to the beekeeping community.

I strongly recommend to sell only quality nucs, and quality bees. Don't sell junk. A good reputation lasts a lifetime.

cchoganjr


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

Cleo,

How does it work if someone has a top bar hive?

Are we just S.O.L.?

THAT'S NOT FAIR !!!!


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## Nichols747 (May 21, 2010)

I built at five bar TBH nuc this spring and raised a "split" from one of my swarms. It was an interesting experience, and I may try to raise one to sell next spring!

Not sure what you would want to call an overwintered TBH "nuc" though - I don't have any idea how many bars you would overwinter with, or if they would tolerate a horizontal nuc.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

PatBeek said:


> .
> 
> Cleo,
> 
> ...


I could make up nucs for TBH's as long as the bars are the same length as Langs. I would charge more because I would need to get the bars drawn out and full of brood, which would take more time than using drawn comb. Also would need to cut the top bars which is a bit of a pain. I presently have about 20 from a failed TBH. Any nuc producer can do this if they want to bother with it.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

PatBeek.... Good Question. I don't have a clue on TBH. My deep frames would not fit most TBHs, so it would have to be a shake-out. I guess the best thing to do would be to make up a package and then install as you would any package.

Maybe someone on here can answer this one for PatBeek. It must have been done before.

Sorry i could not help you on this one.

cchoganjr


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## SantaFeBeek (Jun 13, 2012)

I've never seen a commercial operation that provides TBH nucs. I plan on trying to make some up in the next year or two to try to sell, as there are quite a few TBH enthusiasts here in NM. I plan to build a few TBH style nuc boxes this winter.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

SantaFeBeek said:


> I've never seen a commercial operation that provides TBH nucs. I plan on trying to make some up in the next year or two to try to sell, as there are quite a few TBH enthusiasts here in NM. I plan to build a few TBH style nuc boxes this winter.


Of course I'm biased, but I would think that would be a fantastic idea for someone who is selling them. 

TBHs are gaining popularity very rapidly. In fact, we are storming state capitols in an attempt to outlaw Langs.................


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

This year, I sold my first batch of nucs, treatment-free small cell, 5-frames for $125. Next year it is $150. I offer the option of a DCoates style plywood nuc with a disc entrance for $25 deposit if returned within 30 days. Everybody brought their own boxes this year.

If I wouldn't buy them, I won't sell them. That's my rule.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Excellent rule Solomon. Hope everyone follows your lead.

cchoganjr


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Did most people bring 8 or 10 frame equipment or a Nuc box.
Transferring a strong Nuc into a tight box Nuc box with a narrow entrance and screening it off might invite over heating issues here at times. ScreenIng off is probably not always nessecary but I'm thinking many would prefer this. How did transferring into thier equipment work.
I'm guessing you have more experienced buyers?


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Mbec... All but one of the 100 brought either 8 or 10 frame equipment for the transfer. The last one today (A queenless nuc), brought a 5 frame nuc, so I gave her three good frames of brood, (one light, one tan, one chocolate) one frame of honey, and one frame they were just drawing out the cells.

And yes, you are right. It was a tight fit, even with the 5th frame being just partially drawn. The nuc had the ventilation wheel in front, and a screen hole in the rear near the top. She had a 2 hour drive, but, with air conditioning in her SUV, I don't think there would be a problem.

Yes, most of my customers who buy transfers are experienced beekeepers. That definately helps. I don't like transfers as well as just selling the nucs, or 5 frame nucs in 10 frame equipment. Reasons I outlined above. Poorly fitting equipment, Fronts not closed off or diffifcult to close off, nothing to secure the tops or inner covers. I know this and I am prepared to handle it, but, it is a little more time and effort involved.

cchoganjr


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Mbeck said:


> Did most people bring 8 or 10 frame equipment or a Nuc box.


Half and half.




Mbeck said:


> Transferring a strong Nuc into a tight box Nuc box with a narrow entrance and screening it off might invite over heating issues here at times. ScreenIng off is probably not always nessecary but I'm thinking many would prefer this. How did transferring into thier equipment work.


Not a problem. My nucs have a single 1.5" round entrance so they're accustomed to ventilation in that range which I think is less than any I've seen. I keep hives up to double deep 10 frame with the same entrance and they don't seem to have any major issues, usually better than a good nuc with the same entrance interestingly enough.




Mbeck said:


> I'm guessing you have more experienced buyers?


1-7 years so far. No fresh newbees. Against my advice, they have all gone with packages. Quicker, easier, highly prone to failure. I'll get them next year.


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

....and they will have some experience more willing to see the value in an established Nuc.


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