# My excel Queen Rearing Calender. Identifies which nuc needs attention.



## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

Hello All,

I've seen lots of threads that deal with methods of getting cells built, extablishing mating nucs, methods to make the best queens. What I haven't seen is a discussion on timing for regular queen batches, and tracking of what needs to be done when. 

I have created a spreadsheet calender with my plan for this year, which should help me stay on track. I will print it on my first graft day, then mark it up as I go with comments for data tracking in the future. I have not decided if I will use more than 2 cell builders, If I do I may need to tweek the sheet abit. 

I plan to raise around 20 queens per week, beginning early may until mid to late July. My maiting nucs will be 4 way 1/2 frames in a full size super. I am hoping that they will be strong enough to overwinter, and I plan to steal brood out of them as excess is available. 

If anyone has feedback or suggestions, feel free. If you want to use the sheet, I hope it works well for you.

LINK REMOVED, Rader posted the sheet below.

Note: The format may look a little strange, seemed the best way to lay it out.

Luke


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

Create an account and then sign in. Sorry it would waste to much time.


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## Davacoles (Jun 30, 2013)

Looks like you took down the file.


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## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

I can't find a way to embed the file. Sorry. I will post it when I figure it out. If someone knows how to do it, I can email them the file, and they can upload it.
Luke


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Here is the Excel file that _Sharpdog _wanted to post:
View attachment queen rearing calender.xlsx


It is an Excel file, so you will typically need to download it by clicking on the file then saving it to your local device. If you don't have Excel/Office installed, MS offers a free _viewer _here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10
If you choose to install that viewer, don't be fooled by the add-ons that MS tries to give you - UNcheck those 3 boxes.


I just use free Google Docs instead, which allows viewing AND editing, but does require a _free _Google account: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/


Note: I did test opening the linked XLSX file with Google Docs, so I am confident that the file is accessible to others. Also, AFAIK, one must use the the "Go Advanced" Compose Message window at Beesource to upload/post XLS files - I don't think it works with the "Quick Reply" window.


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## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

Exellent work Graham, thank-you very much.


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## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

Does anyone have nucs on a similar 3 way rotation?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I set up my queen rearing around your schedule Luke, thanks for that. Makes tones of sense. Makes for a graft every Sunday, transfer 10 days later Wednesday, and cage 18 days. 

Is 18 days in a mini nuc too long?


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## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

Ian, if you follow my schedule, the queens will actually be in the nuc for 21 days. It could easily be adapted to 14 days, but I want my nucs to grow strong as I plan to winter them. When they get too full, I will steal brood and bees to start aditional nucs. I am building 1/2 frames, and putting 4 nucs per standard deep. I am going to use the Logix ICF insulated supers from beaver plastics, and winter them outdoors.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Ya, after looking at your timeline I realized running three different sets makes more sense, pushing the queen caging back from 14 days after the hatch to 18 days sets things up nicely to run a graft every Sunday, to transfer the cells into the mating nucs on the following Wednesday. Makes for Sunday Wednesday work, and a day or so lee way around it. 

I know this calendar is impossible to read at a glance, but it serves my purposes quite nicely. Each graft is a different colour. It follows a pattern; Sunday graft, transfer in 10 days on Wednesday, and caging there after on day 18 after the hatch (Tuesday), to allow the next transfer of cells on Wednesday.


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

Ian, what is nuc ? sat June 6 and so on?

I think I would move cage to wed. save a trip.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Have downloaded it, good but basic.

I've always done this pen and paper but looking for something computerised. What your sheet needs is a way to keep track of which dated cells went to which mating sites, and how many. IE I may not cage or re-cell all nucs at a site on a particular day so I need to know at any given site, how many cells went there on each of several dates. 

Not sure if you are wanting to do all that Sharpdog but if you do please publish it.


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## sharpdog (Jun 6, 2012)

Oldtimer said:


> Have downloaded it, good but basic.
> 
> I've always done this pen and paper but looking for something computerised. What your sheet needs is a way to keep track of which dated cells went to which mating sites, and how many. IE I may not cage or re-cell all nucs at a site on a particular day so I need to know at any given site, how many cells went there on each of several dates.
> 
> Not sure if you are wanting to do all that Sharpdog but if you do please publish it.


Im not sure I follow you. In my sheet the cell builders are colour coded with the mating nuc set that those cells go into. I plan to paint or number my mating nucs to match the series on the sheet. Below the sheet is a daily space for notes such as "# of cells hatched", "Mated Queens Pulled" etc. Im not sure if you would want to enter that data into the computer each time, but if you can give me a little more info on what you are looking for I can likely incorporate it into the sheet. Just brain storming what you may be suggesting, perhaps a dropdown menu with # of cells, or # of hatched virgins, # of mated queens on the specific days? Let me know, I can do almost anything in excel.

Luke


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Flyer Jim said:


> Ian, what is nuc ? sat June 6 and so on?
> I think I would move cage to wed. save a trip.


The plan is to cage the queens and bank them til I get a chance to make up nucs. Probably my Saturday project if we don't find time through the week days.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Oldtimer, isn't that done by working down the row and marking the hive last worked on with a twig? Lol
Well for me anyway


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Oh I get it now Sharpdog, think I was confused by the pretty colors. 

Re your twig method Ian I do similar things, but need to know what's going on at a site before I actually get there. For this I use my dairy but a computer would be better can't accidentally miss a page etc.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Computer model is nice, but a large calendar on the wall, a PLASTIC LAMINATED queen/drone rearing schedule on the desk, and a wall rack of clipboards & copies for the individual cell raising colonies, bloodline groups, support colonies, nuc's, trucks, trailers, and yards is a dead-reliable system. 

Currently none of my yards have power outlets, only the work area (not suitable for bees) has power. I do use Personal Ancestry File (PAF) for bee genealogy work. It seems silly giving queen bees first, middle, and last names, but this system works.

My hope is to learn a way to include known and unknown genetic trait tracking, with a dominant / recessive marker for up to 200 traits.


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