# Top bar nucs



## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

Hey guys. I keep bees in all medium boxes. I have been making nucs for some time now and next year I have two beeks that are going to use top bar hives and they want to know if I can make nucs for them. I figured why not. So my question to you is how do I make nucs from 5 frame nucs transfered to TBH top bars? My first thoughts were to modify one of the bottom nuc boxes to be like a small TBH. I can make the nuc and get it going on my Lang equipment and then put the TBH under it and the bees should move down and build the top bars. I would have to give the bees room to move between the top bars for this but I think it would work. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Andy


----------



## laurelmtnlover (May 29, 2009)

I am a first year top bar hive beek, one hive. I am ready to start keeping more next spring, but nucs and deeps and supers all elude me, as I have never been around a lang, but I did google this, and it makes sense to me to make a tbh nuc:
http://petitepets.com/pages/bees_top_bar_hive_nuc.php

Let me know what you think. 
When you sell nucs, do you breed your own queen?


----------



## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks for the information. I guess I'm on the right track. When I raise a nuc colony I also raise the queen to go with it. It depends on how I go about it, but the end result is a 5 frame nuc colony on medium frames with a queen that has been laying on that comb for at least 15 days. I think I can build a top bar nuc box to go under one of my nuc boxes. The plan is to use that as my bottom board and then when I'm ready just put in the top bars and let the bees build down instead of up. The top bars would have to be a bit different than normal as I would need to leave room for the bees to get down through the bars. I think it will work.


----------



## Scorpster (Jun 11, 2009)

Can you somehow interleave the top bars into the mediums? The combs would be "forced" to draw straight, and removable later. I am going to make some TBH's this winter, and plan on using bars that will fit a Langstroth for this very reason.


----------



## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

it would have been nice if the top bars were the same length as a Langthroth frame but they are not. The bars are shorter than the standard frame.


----------



## peletier (May 5, 2007)

Screw your top bars to standard Lang top bars and hang them in your medium boxes. After the nuc is established, unscrew the bars and transfer to your customer's equipment.


----------



## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

I had also thought of doing that. It should be simple and I don't have to modify any equipment.


----------



## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

This one is from biobees.com

http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2831


----------



## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

I just made these 4.

I'm teaching my bees to count.


----------



## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Last year I started a tbh. I simply took my hive yhe fellow that makes nusc. He made a few frames that fit my tbh, attached them to a bar the size of his hives and the bees did the rest. Once the frames were drawn and filled with brood he put the, amd the queen in my tbh...worked great.


----------



## chiefman (May 18, 2003)

I used this Technique when i got a hive from a cavity cut out. Works VERY well too easy can get messy but the bees clean everything up
http://youtu.be/asYwcWxWGv4?list=UUndWYkPK3h04-69TmN_ZcNw

"Using a womans hair clip, tie wraps, and a bit of knowledge you can repair even a collapsed hive."


----------



## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

I just put 'Nuc Hive #1' into commission this past week. Here's a brief clip of them doing orientation flights (Dec 19th, 2014). 

I looked inside today and they already have at least one capped queen cell.


----------

