# Combining 2 hives



## wild-b (Apr 23, 2014)

I have 3 hives, but two have weak queens and separately they won't make it through the Winter. So what I thought I would do is take the hive or queen that seems to be doing the best and get rid of the other and then combine the 2 hives. My question is how do I combine the two without losing both queens ?
Thanks
Mike


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

One option is to do a "_newspaper combine_" after you have removed the excess queen. More on that here:

http://www.kelleybees.com/Blog/8/FAQs/115/What-s-the-newspaper-combine-method-for-uniting-two-hives


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## wild-b (Apr 23, 2014)

So I noticed the first thing it said was "combining two weak hives only results in one larger weak hive". So if this is true then what do you do with two weak ones ? Kill them off ? I'm not taking a chance that they will ruin the one hive that is doing well. It's too close to winter and the fall flow is over here.
Thanks for the info 
Mike


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## Colino (May 28, 2013)

wild-b said:


> I have 3 hives, but two have weak queens and separately they won't make it through the Winter. So what I thought I would do is take the hive or queen that seems to be doing the best and get rid of the other and then combine the 2 hives. My question is how do I combine the two without losing both queens ?
> Thanks
> Mike


You think the 2 weak hives won't make it on their own. Why not just combine those 2 you have nothing to lose.
Colino


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Missed original post.


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## CtyAcres (Apr 8, 2012)

Mike- I pm'ed you. I'm just southwest of you.


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## wild-b (Apr 23, 2014)

How long will it take for bees to go through newspaper and make the combine complete?


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