# Nuc question for ya.



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

You've hit the nail on the head with this observation. Most nucs are provided in the traditional way as deeps. There are medium nucs out there but they are not (yet?!) the popular darlings of the nuc production, though they are popular on BeeSource and in some books.

If you want to start out using all mediums and can not find a person willing to sell you a medium nuc, you would be better off with a package than you would a deep nuc. A deep nuc is going to require you to either get a deep box to add to your hive or to cut down the frames and foundation so that they will fit in a medium nuc box. This last step is not a good one for an inexperienced beekeeper to attempt.

If you can't find medium nucs, buy packages and start them in your own medium equipment.


----------



## oblib (Oct 28, 2011)

It also comes down to how far you are willing to drive to get them. Also depends on how many you want as maybe the supplier will meet you half way. I know I would be willing to meet you halfway for 10 but wouldn't even want to drive to the next town over from me for only 1


----------



## urbanoutlaw (Nov 19, 2012)

Two of the nuc sellers I considered here in VA provide both medium and standard nucs. The advice given to me was to use (2?) mediums if forced to buy deep frame nucs while running medium boxes, then transition to medium frames when adding subsequent boxes.

Of course, I have zero experience, so you'll need feedback from someone with a clue, but maybe this will spark potential solutions to your problem.


----------



## JenWV (Jan 22, 2012)

You could make a temporary Deep out of a Med. by making a 3" shim


----------



## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

When I did this same thing years ago, I took a deep box and cut some wood to fill the space at the bottom of the medium frames that were to each side of the deep frames from the nuc. The bees eventually worked on to the medium frames to each side and above. The following year I removed the deep frames when the bees were not using them, then the deep box was removed as well.


----------



## ImaNewBeeToThis (Dec 27, 2012)

Well walter t kelly does provide a medium nuc, but there not available til may 4th  is this normal or to late in the season.


----------



## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

You might as well start with a package. But keep searching for some medium nucs, they are out there.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You can make a shim that is the equivalent (or is actually) of the top 3" off of a nuc box and set it on top of your box and put five deeps in your medium and then cover the gap on the side with another board.


----------



## Irmo (Jan 9, 2012)

My club sells nucs raised by members. They come in both medium and deep. I noticed that the overwintered nucs were available after the packages came in last year. It depends on how fast they get going coming out of winter. The nucs ramp up faster than packages.


----------



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

The easy way of converting is to just put two mediums on a bottom board. Put the nuc frames all the way to one side and fill the rest of the two mediums up and down with medium frames. As the bees expand into the center of the two mediums and the outside deep frame has had all the brood emerge, remove it and slide the next deep frame to the outside position and fill from the far side up and down with medium frames. The deep frames will probably be full of stores. To save this just lay the frame on the top bars and let the bees rob it out. After it is robbed out, it can easily be cut down with a table saw or the wax salvaged for candles. It is just not a huge obstacle.


----------



## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

I'd probably just do box manipulations, add mediums, when they move into it, move it down, when it's time to add another, put it between the medium and the deep, at the end of the season, the deep should be your super, take it off, extract, use it and the old comb as a swarm trap....


----------



## TheBuzz (Feb 8, 2012)

Vance G said:


> The easy way of converting is to just put two mediums on a bottom board. Put the nuc frames all the way to one side and fill the rest of the two mediums up and down with medium frames. As the bees expand into the center of the two mediums and the outside deep frame has had all the brood emerge, remove it and slide the next deep frame to the outside position and fill from the far side up and down with medium frames. The deep frames will probably be full of stores. To save this just lay the frame on the top bars and let the bees rob it out. After it is robbed out, it can easily be cut down with a table saw or the wax salvaged for candles. It is just not a huge obstacle.


What he said. I think Nucs are best cuz you also get drawn comb which allows for instant food storage and brood developement.


----------



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I haven't purchased anything besides queens and equipment for several decades, but though I run primarily all medium frame hives as well as nucs, I do have a few on deep frames, so I have grown deep nucs into medium frame colonies. I find the method advocated by Vance G to be very simple and efficient at accomplishing this task.


----------



## TheBuzz (Feb 8, 2012)

I use deeps for the first 2 boxes. In spring they don't weigh as much cuz they're nearly empty.


----------



## Laurence Hope (Aug 24, 2005)

The convenience of deep nucs is one of the primary reasons I decided to go to deeps for my brood boxes.


----------



## TheBuzz (Feb 8, 2012)

Laurence Hope said:


> The convenience of deep nucs is one of the primary reasons I decided to go to deeps for my brood boxes.


running 2 deeps is noticeably cheaper then running 3 mediums.


----------



## Ranger Cody (Jan 21, 2012)

I started with medium nucs last year, but I will be trying deep nucs this year. I feel like you get more for your money when you purchase a deep nuc compared to a medium. Does that make sense to anyone else, or is it just me?


----------



## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Not everyone does this but I purchased my medium nucs from Silver Spoon Apiaries Wilmington Nc. And Barry gave me 8 frames instead of 5 since they were mediums.


----------



## oblib (Oct 28, 2011)

sfisher said:


> Not everyone does this but I purchased my medium nucs from Silver Spoon Apiaries Wilmington Nc. And Barry gave me 8 frames instead of 5 since they were mediums.


And thats what I'm doing this year, selling 8frame medium nucs. I think its only fair to do 8 frames or a cheaper price if selling mediums.


----------



## pools&bees (Jan 19, 2013)

Vance G said:


> The easy way of converting is to just put two mediums on a bottom board. Put the nuc frames all the way to one side and fill the rest of the two mediums up and down with medium frames. As the bees expand into the center of the two mediums and the outside deep frame has had all the brood emerge, remove it and slide the next deep frame to the outside position and fill from the far side up and down with medium frames. The deep frames will probably be full of stores. To save this just lay the frame on the top bars and let the bees rob it out. After it is robbed out, it can easily be cut down with a table saw or the wax salvaged for candles. It is just not a huge obstacle.


I agree with Vance. I've seen it done this way with no problems.


----------



## tinadaisy (Oct 17, 2010)

If weight is the reason you're considering using all mediums, you could use 8 frame deeps with 8 frame mediums on top. I run one deep and one medium for the brood chamber. This setup works for me and it solves the nuc problem and is easier to lift than 10 frame equipment.


----------



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Keeping hives with any combinations of different depth supers/frames always creates the same problem the O.P. brought up about starting medium frame colonies with deep frame nucs.


----------

