# How young were you when you first raised queens?



## Briarvalleyapiaries (Feb 26, 2015)

My 12 year old son has interest in raising a few queens this year. 

2015 was our first year as beekeepers. Our 4 hives made it through the winter successfully. Another beekeeper called in beginner luck but we are very happy that all our hives survived. 

My thought was that our second year we should focus on learning how to manage splits and honey production. 

Beekeeping has been an extremely interesting and enjoyable hobby.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

I was 43 and had kept bees for 3 years. It is not hard to do, buy a good book on raising queens and follow the techniques described in it. Your son's young eyes and steady hand will be a great aid in grafting larvae.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Oh, I don't know. About 45. I have an intern that helps me on queen catching day. His 8 year sone comes along once in awhile and helps me add attendants to queen cages. I gave him a queen and he helped his dad make a nuc and that nuc is his. Nice kid.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

with steady hands and better eye sight he probably would out do us old guys. lol


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## BIGHONEY56 (Sep 1, 2011)

This will be my 2nd year, I'm 26. this will be my 6th year beekeeping. last year the effort turned into about 30 double nucs. Its definetly worth the effort, especially seeing the ones that made it so far this winter doin well.


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

I'm with your son, let him raise the queens for your splits - his project, you be the assistant


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## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

Never too early to learn queen rearing! Worst case is that he will learn something, whether it works the first couple of times, or not!


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## SRatcliff (Mar 19, 2011)

My first attempt, I was 22. Which was 4 years ago.


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## Snapset (May 2, 2015)

56. I am a 55yo optimist.


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

About 9 or 10 years old. When I have taught queen rearing classes and the kids come along, they are often quite good with the grafting tool! Let have a try, what do you have to lose?


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## cheryl1 (Mar 7, 2015)

My 12yo daughter is going to graft with me this spring.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Very young was I not, auld lang syne I began raising King Bees, but Oldtimer and the two Great Michaels (Bush & Palmer), and perhaps a few other amongst our lot, have me by a score and more of years. They survived the dinosaurs, I, only the Neandertals.


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## J.Walters (Sep 24, 2015)

I started at 44, but like everyone...I've just bought my granddaughter (5 yrs old) a bee suit and hoping she will be my new apprentice...


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I was 32.

Get your 12 year old to work while his eyes are young and his hand eye coordination is developing. What a great parent child interaction. I tried to get my wife and daughter to raise queens for me, but Barbara didn't like being around bees. And she kept Hope Janelle busy doing other things, like riding ponies.


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