# Time to add a box?



## Houstonbees (Jul 7, 2014)

Jlockhart29,
Did you start the hive with one or two boxes? Normally start a Warre setup with two boxes. Once they build through the first box and about 80% through the second and the bottom box is full of bees, add a third, and so forth. That's been my experience so far and has worked pretty much as described in David Heaf's book and the original book written by Emile Warre.
Best regards,
Gunther


----------



## Jlockhart29 (Apr 29, 2016)

Just one box. It was suggested by several that have been doing this a spell I use one box. Easer to keep warm and defend. They are still in one and going to town. Planning to add the second tomorrow as of now.


----------



## Houstonbees (Jul 7, 2014)

Should have been started with two boxes. But never the less if you are adding one tomorrow it will be as if you started with two. Should be ok. Hope you have a hive lift. It makes lifting the hive and adding a box so much easier than doing it manually. Also a hive lift makes it ridiculously easy to lift the hive, remove the bottom board for a quick inspection from the bottom with a mirror (minimal disturbance). Google "Warre hive lift" and click on "images" , you'll get the idea. 
See this website for really good videos---http://www.thewarrestore.com
Best regards,
Gunther


----------



## lostboy (Feb 20, 2016)

Where did you get those frames, I'm sure they came with the hive. I like the fact their all sided, mine I built, top bar with about 5in side legs. The bees did great filling out the top boxes on both my warre's , nice and straight, then moved down into the next box. One hive continued the straight pattern but the second made two long combs across the bars, yesterday I cut them and rubber banded them correctly on two of the center bars, lets see if they correct themselves . I don't like going in there and messing with them that much but they were really calm for all that intrusion. At the same time I added a third box to both hives, I should be able to just observe for a good stretch of time now. I started with two boxes when I put the packages in at the end of April but May was so cold here it took a while for them to get going, even last week we had several nights in the low 40's and daytime highs in the low 60's with a 20mile plus north wind. This week we should get some 70's with 50's at night. Good luck.


----------



## Jlockhart29 (Apr 29, 2016)

The hive it's self is from Bee Thinking. However I made the frames. Those particular ones were deep frame Langs foundationless. I cut the top bar, drilled and pinned, stapled and glued. You could hang a truck off them. Sides I cut middle out, spliced together with another thin bridge on the inside, stapled and glued. Bottom just cut to size and renotched. I have since gone to a starter strip type bar. The attachment at the joints are simple enough I can easily cut off one end to length, reshape or notch using my 25 year old simple Craftsman table saw and assemble like any normal frame. Just attach about a 1 inch strip of wax foundation into the groven on top and let the girls have at it. I'm making my own hives from scratch and matching the depth of the body to work with the stock depth of the deep Lang but with the 12 inch across both ways.


----------



## lostboy (Feb 20, 2016)

Looking closer I can see most of what you did, nice idea, I think I'm going to try something like that it'll make inspections easier, and help keep it straight. Thanks


----------



## thehackleguy (Jul 29, 2014)

Personally, I would checkboard your comb with open frames when you add the second box. That will get them building and working in both boxes. They look great :thumbsup:


----------

