# mating nucs



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

I find it easier to get a mated queen when she is not confused on 
her return mating flight. If one queen accidently enter the wrong
entrance then she will get balled by the foreign bees. So I make
up individual mating nucs for them. It is better this way.


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

I've split 10 frames in half with a divider board, entrances on opposite ends. I never had an issue with queens returning.

Although i have had a few issues with the nucs being a bit too strong and swarming out once the queen mates. This year I will likely do a few split 10-frame boxes but make sure the hive is not too heavy on brood when i make them.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

I did it differently.
Make up a fairly strong nuc and 
then add another nuc hive on top to
draw out the frames. They don't even have
a chance to swarm. You can break up these nucs
to overwinter them with an Autumn queen too.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Queen Castles have 4 colonies per a ten frame hive body. each using 5 half frames with entrances facing 4 different directions. a strong Nuc with a second split to accommodate half frames can be used as a breeding box/comb provider for the castles. Works great if numbers are your goal!


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

I like the half frames as well. I can get my hands inside of the box easier than when one is using full length frames and has divided the box into 4 sections.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I like mating nucs that take two of my standard brood frames. Mine are mediums. But if I ran deeps I would want it to take two deeps.


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## No-sage (Mar 14, 2009)

Mine are also 2 frames (deeps), 4 mating nucs in a deep box. I use one entrance on each side for the 4 chambers.


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## trapper25 (Nov 10, 2015)

I was thinking of doing that but wasn't sure if I would loose to many queens to them choosing the wrong entrance , what's your expariance been , I'm still in the a few hundred queens a year setup but I want to build the right equipment to be able to do several thousand a summer , here in Michigan my queen rearing season is short


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

If you are running a large operation then consider making up individual mating
nucs for each queen. On her return mating flights if she went into the wrong hive
then she will get balled. I lost queens every year because of this issue. Right now I
set up individual mating nucs for each virgin queen. It is not that bad once you get used
to this process. The chance of a return queen is better this way that I've found out. Try
it in small batches first to see which method is better for your operation.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Lots of good info, also read Lauri's post on "How I Plan to Overwinter 40 Nuc's" up in the "sticky" section.


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