# how to react to a surprsingly low population when creating a split?



## mlanden (Jun 19, 2016)

if I see. on opening my 1 hive Monday, that the #s just aren't there for populating a 10-frame deep [split] with 3 well-worked frames and extra bees dumped in (+ frame feeder, if I go that route), should I just use one of my 5-frame nucs (and would have to forego the feeder, no matter what, since the feeder's 2 frames wide)? :s When I checked my hive (a deep and 1 medium) 2 weeks ago, the bees were working most frames well (I removed the deep's feeder then, adding 2 "fresh" frames; 2 other frames had only been worked some).

To complicate things, I'm getting a new queen Tuesday to start the split with. No matter what I find re: population of the original hive, I think I'll have no option but to create the split with whatever I can spare from the original hive. My new mentor suggested a week or so ago that I make a split; maybe for experience purposes? 

[for clarification: the hive is from a package I installed 26Mar2017]

Suggestions/ideas/anecdotes'd be appreciated ......


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## bison (Apr 27, 2011)

You're probably trying to split the hive too soon. Best to have a good strong hive first, meaning at least 6-7 solid frames of bees with lots of brood. A six week old package hive likely doesn't have nearly this population. Still, since you're getting a queen and are pretty committed, there's nothing wrong with splitting into a nuc (in fact it's prob better to do so). Take out a couple solid frames of bees and brood (making SURE not to have the queen) a day or two before you get your queen and shake in another frame or so of bees (depending on the population of your first hive). When you get the queen, first go into the split and destroy any queen cells you see them building. Wait a couple of hours (optional) and then put in the queen and let them eat thru the candy to release her. You should be OK. I'd then feed both (polled sub and syrup if they'll take it) to speed their growth.


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