# Hive split question



## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

I've successfully overwintered 4 frame nucs in upstate New York.

When you make your split in July, give the new colony a mated queen.
Here, we can't afford to lose a month of production while a new one is raised as in a walk away split, and still build up sufficient stores for winter.

I in a four frame, you're going to want about 3-1/2 frames fo stores and half frame of brood going into winter.
Be ready to put another 4 frame box on early in the spring (they;ll draw the comb faster that way than in a hive body) or better yet, winter them with 4 frames of stores in a second box over the brood nest.

My four frame nuc built up to a 3 x 8frame deep hive by June (mix of drawn comb and frames), and has nearly drawn/filled a super.

Mind you, I'm in New York, not Kentucky.
First freeze (and end of goldenrod) was in October; we still has some snow during willow/early maple in late Feb & March if memory is serving me well.


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## Justin Trout (Apr 22, 2013)

Beregondo said:


> I've successfully overwintered 4 frame nucs in upstate New York.
> 
> When you make your split in July, give the new colony a mated queen.
> Here, we can't afford to lose a month of production while a new one is raised as in a walk away split, and still build up sufficient stores for winter.
> ...


So you would find it unnecessary to add a homemade hard candy feeder board on top of the nuc to over winter it? Thanks for the advice.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

Here in north central Arkansas a nuc that covers 4 frames the middle of October will be starving by the first of March. If you have a cold, late spring, you will need to feed. A candy board or just table sugar above the frames will work. It is much better to have them build in the fall so they have 10 frames, 6 frames of which is honey/syrup. That much feed lasts until April.

Does Walter T. Kelly Company still have queens for sale? Their Russian X queens were a good queen, at least they were 5 years ago.


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