# Medium Nucs



## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

I'm looking for medium 5-6 frame nuc box or a split medium 10 frame box design. 
Would need to have a separate screened hole to draw robbers away from main entrance. Any one using something close ? Pics


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## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

I've seen the deep plans on here and they won't work cause the holes become to close together on the medium to be effective.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

tefer2 said:


> Any one using something close ? Pics


I use wine boxes for medium frame bait hives.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Yet another excuse to buy wine BY THE CASE


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

This is what I use, they are deep but you could use mediums. 

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1536.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1535.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1533.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1532.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1539.jpg


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## 11x (May 14, 2009)

here is a link with photos on the med plans for plywood
http://s699.photobucket.com/albums/v.../hive%20plans/


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

SCDW - that's pretty cool, but how do you get the drowned bees out of the feeder?


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## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks all for the info so far.
odfrank, I think drinking all that wine would give me a big hangover. I'd be needing some help to get that much drank up by spring. Good idea.


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

My bees don't drown, they are smart, and they build comb, if they need it. In my experience drowned bees in division board feeders are usually caused by robbing. How do you think commercials feed, with thousands of hives, quart jars. A stick in the bottom of the feeder is usually enough to take care of any drowning. Pouring slower to give the bees time to move out of the way will help also. Use what you want, I just thought the pics might help.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

scdw - I think you misunderstand - I wasn't being critical - I think the design of having the two sided division board feeder as the divider is ingenious, but I don't see how you would very easily clean it out if it got any dead bees (or comb for that matter) in it. 

In my somewhat limited experience if you give bees a place to drown in syrup a few of them end up doing so. But admittedly my experience in that is limited, and I could be wrong.

So, please allow me to restate - Does your feeder/divider have a provision to allow you to clean it out in case it gets debris in it?


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

I've been looking for a design of a division board and a feeder all in one, but I havn't been able to find one anywhere.

Good work scdw, but I'm afraid I can't really see how you built it from the pictures. I don't want to be too inquisitive, but is there any way that you can take a few extra pictures to help me see how you built it? Or perhaps you can just explain it? Thanks.


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

I'll send you a PM


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Fantastic. Can't wait.


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## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks scdw


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

Your welcome


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

Sorry, about being so defensive, I have been beat up on this forum lately. I don't have many drown in these feeders. the ones that do, the bees clean out.

Having a bad day
David Whitfield


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

Are there any problems with the "hives" being so close together? That single hive divided looks like a great idea to me, but do you have to do anything special to keep the two colonies separated? I mean things like entrance placement, or like when you open the lid, do they wander over into the other colonies side?

That has kinda put me off of dividing a hive like that to make a nuc, but its just cause I dont know enough about it.

Rob


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## hemichuck (Oct 27, 2009)

We have breeder boxes that are divided into 3 and 4 parts and we run 3 or 4 queens in each of them without any problems.We actually cut down a bunch of older boxes we had from a queen grafting project and are making medium nucs off of them.After they start laying in the breeder boxes we can pull out a couple of frames and put them in a 5 frame nuc and then pull the divider and leave 2-4/5 frame colonies in the breeder box.When they start building you put them in your regular equipment.We are overwintering some of these indoors from a late Sept.graft that we did so that we can feed them all winter if needed. We hope the new queens will really take off come spring.


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

Where do they get those little frames that go in those smaller nucs? Are they homemade? I have never caught them in a catalog, they seem to only come with the mini mating nucs. If you use smaller frames like in a mini nuc, how do you move all that stuff to a normal sized nuc? I am probably missing something here....

Rob


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## hemichuck (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm talking 10 frame equipment that we divide into 4 breeder units by putting a divider board in them.If you split it into 4 equal parts you can get 2 frames in each.Just enough room to get the queen started laying without needing too many bees to maintain and guard the hive.When she starts laying we pull out 2 of the sections and put them in regular 5 frame nucs.Pull the 2 divider boards and that leaves you with 2-4 or 5 frame sections in the box.When all of those build out you put them in 10 frame boxes.It just takes regular deep or medium frames.


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## tefer2 (Sep 13, 2009)

Chuck, just wondering how you make your entrances work on the 10 frame med. Some pics would be great if you have some.


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

hemichuck,

I understand ya now! At first I wasnt following you on dividing the box into 4 parts. You stated that you were overwintering some indoors. Could you give us a little more information on that? Like, are they just out of the weather or are they confined in the hive in a heated building?

Rob


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## hemichuck (Oct 27, 2009)

I will try and get some pics posted of the breeder box.Better to make them into 3 parts instead of 4.They just have a hole drilled in the front or back of the box on alternating ends so there is some space between entrances.I have 12 hives indoors on the third floor of a big industrial building that we own.They are in a side room that used to be a ladies rest room and lounge.(great because there are tile floors and running water)We dont heat this area but since heat rises it is like a chimney for the rest of the building(approximatly 200,000 square ft.)so it stays about 50 degrees even when its 18 degrees outside.There used to be windows in there but I put plywood over the openings and drilled a hole and slid a 1 inch tube out for an exit.I can feed all winter without them having to cluster real tight.This is the first time trying this but so far so good.These were all weak splits and hives that wouldnt have made it through winter otherwise.Most were late Sept. and early Oct splits.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

A few pics of mine, 10/5 frame and double 3 frame.
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/nuc/


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

Nice pictures Ross. That is a good idea of the entrance on the bottom board. This is the probably the only instance where those nice hand holds aint so cool!

Rob


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

I have successfully overwintered 4 frame(deeps) nucs with a division feeder like scdw's.
Screened ventilation holes at both ends,feedbag for innercover.Copied from Mike Palmer.
I make a special bottom board with a 3/4 rim with entrances on opposite sides.I found that without the rim,dead bees would clog the entrances
Eventually I would like to transition to all mediums.
Has anyone been successfull overwintering 4 frame med nucs in the north?
Maybe I should overwinter in 2 boxes with a vertical divider in the bottom box and a division feeder and frames of honey on top.


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