# 100% success rate on our splits and nucs. But what do we do now?



## ericweller (Jan 10, 2013)

You mentioned how the nucs are doing with their stores but how is their bee populations? How long have the nucs been building? I would only move them to a 10 frame if the nuc is packed with bees. As an experiment, I overwintered a 2 high nuc box and they made it just fine. I would guess that our winters are much colder than yours.


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## Arbol (Apr 28, 2017)

get ready for the crazy now, you gortta be in those nucs every 4-5 days. it gets wild
my first 20 went to 150 in a season, hope you have enough woodenware to keep up the expansion.
next season cost me 8000 for 30 hives to house some of those nucs the next season.
gota plan your growth now not when it's happening.
get your woodenware ready and have 3x more than what you think you need in frames, boxes, lids, and bottoms.
bee ready it moves fast and bees waits for no man.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

They may slow down but if they got a flow, get them into singles for winter.


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## soarwitheagles (May 23, 2015)

ericweller said:


> You mentioned how the nucs are doing with their stores but how is their bee populations? How long have the nucs been building? I would only move them to a 10 frame if the nuc is packed with bees. As an experiment, I overwintered a 2 high nuc box and they made it just fine. I would guess that our winters are much colder than yours.


Eric,

The bee population in the majority of the nucs is abundant. Nearly every nuc has bee beards every afternoon, some of which are incredibly large bee beards. When we open up the boxes, most are filled with bees, nearly to overflowing...the majority of the queens are laying well. I am hoping they will not swarm...only one hive had a smaller number of bees, eggs, and larvae and this hive was from a captured swarm that had little honey in it. We installed a nice lump of pollen sub and on that hive only, gave a quart or sugar syrup. Hope to check it later this week.



JRG13 said:


> They may slow down but if they got a flow, get them into singles for winter.


JRG, good to hear from you again! First, I must apologize, because I again screwed up on the newly hatched queens. I believe I will do much better next time and we are thinking now maybe we should wait until next spring for our next graft attempt. I wanted to try a late season grafting from the Carniolians, but simply have not had the time.

I am beginning to think the flow may finally be over after non-stop flow from Feb-Aug. Why do I suspect this? Because we are starting to see a significant slow down with incoming honey as well as egg laying.

We still have some new unassembled 10 frame boxes that I never built. I suppose I will do my best to find time to build more and paint them. How long do I have before I absolutely must transfer?

I am kicking myself in the bottom for not picking up the free bee box wood that was already dado'ed early this summer. Not so sure it is still available...

If the wood is no longer available, I may try that plywood version from the 4x8 sheets.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Be ready for an explosive hive growth early next season. Having enough boxes and equipment is
your number 1 concern. Try to pick up some on this coming winter Holidays sale. Some old posts search from
last year might give you an idea of what others are ordering. I got enough bees equipment to last for awhile.
For the weak nuc hives you can feed them along with the patty subs. The hyper growth hives you can put them
on the ant proof stands with another nuc box on top with some drawn frames. I like to make 5x5. Then next season make a split early on for another nuc hive using the top box to multiply your hive numbers. Lots of option here. Some will put them in a 10 frame box with a divider in between to house a 2 queen colony to overwinter in. This is also a time to experiment the hive configuration to see what set up method will work better in your local bee environment. Our winter is mild enough that you can feed them all year long. I'm putting Lauri's sugar bricks and homemade high protein patty subs on this week. We also have some strong 60 mph winds in rainy season so it is better that they are off the trees. I would tie them down on to the hive stand if they're not in a sheltered location. It is time to think about how to winter them now.



High protein subs ~1 lb. each:


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

A common mistake by beginners is to make nuc boxes for their rapid expansion which quickly become superfluous because the colonies need to soon go into full size equipment. Skip the antproof hive stands and concentrate on acquiring full size equipment. The bees will be hard to work up in those trees. Get them down.


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## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

beepro said:


> I'm putting Lauri's sugar bricks and homemade high protein patty subs on this week. We also have some strong 60 mph winds in rainy season so it is better that they are off the trees. I would tie them down on to the hive stand if they're not in a sheltered location. It is time to think about how to winter them now.


Can you link me to the protein sub and sugar bricks?

I'm looking to keep 60 NUCs at a time next year, buying sub is going to get costly.


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## soarwitheagles (May 23, 2015)

odfrank said:


> A common mistake by beginners is to make nuc boxes for their rapid expansion which quickly become superfluous because the colonies need to soon go into full size equipment. Skip the antproof hive stands and concentrate on acquiring full size equipment. The bees will be hard to work up in those trees. Get them down.


Frank,

I appreciate your good advice and have taken it to heart...

We are presently working on assembly of many more 10 framers, tops, and bottoms.

I hope to make significant numbers of 8 framers from reject wood too.

Have you any thoughts on the 8 frame boxes?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>Have you any thoughts on the 8 frame boxes?

I just got into them after 45 years of ten frame and twelve frames. 8's will be good for my old age. But I feel ten frames are a better hive. My 12 frames Jumbos perform the best but are large, heavy and not standard. 10 Frame Jumbos are great also. Probably 8 frames swarm more and get too tall. But the lighter weight is nice. You are in commercial country. I would go with tens in a deep and a medium brood chamber. That will match more used equipment you can pickup cheap.


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## soarwitheagles (May 23, 2015)

odfrank said:


> >Have you any thoughts on the 8 frame boxes?
> 
> I just got into them after 45 years of ten frame and twelve frames. 8's will be good for my old age. But I feel ten frames are a better hive. My 12 frames Jumbos perform the best but are large, heavy and not standard. 10 Frame Jumbos are great also. Probably 8 frames swarm more and get too tall. But the lighter weight is nice. You are in commercial country. I would go with tens in a deep and a medium brood chamber. That will match more used equipment you can pickup cheap.


Great advice again Frank! I suppose we will stick with the 10 framers for now. I like the idea of everything standarized...that way no mixing stuff up and no adding to the confusion!

You built and lifted 12 framers full of honey? Dang, what are you, a body builder? I could not even imagine lifting twelve framers full of honey...

In years past, we never had much of a honey harvest. This year was different. We had a non-stop flow from Feb-mid Aug. I had stopped working out with weights for my entire summer break. Then, for the first time in my life, tried to lift 10 framers full of honey...wow, felt like a total wimp with spaghetti noodles for arms...and to be honest with you, I found it challenging to lift those supers full of honey. Now I am back to lifting weights, push ups, and crunchies nearly every day. It will take me a couple of months to get back to normal.

Thanks for sharing your insights Frank!


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

soarwitheagles said:


> Great advice again Frank!..............Thanks for sharing your insights Frank!


Just to let you know Soar, Ollie has already sent me an email linking your post bragging about how he get's so much adulation on BeeSource!


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