Not too bad so far...

[VolunteerK9]

Well, its 43 degrees here today..supposed to reach mid 50's by the end of the week. I went to check on the hives and I have bees flying! They are hauling out there dead and quite obviously making their cleansing flights. I went in to the winter with 7 hives-lost one so far. It was a weak hive that hindsight tells me that I should have placed in a nuc. Oh well, at least a spring package will have a huge head start on some drawn comb. I know Im not out of the woods yet, but it was very pleasing to see them, in good numbers, flying out of their hives. I went with all packages, a small swarm or two, and no medications and varied SC foundations, foundationless, and some plastic. I was really dreading the winter but am mighty glad to see them survive this far with the cold weather that we have been having. Just rambling....must be the pain meds  :roll:

[rdy-b]

 1 out of seven is better than most-if there is extra stores and other hives are light
 it wouldn't hurt to give them a frame of honey from the dead hive -as-long as there was no problem with disease -dosent sound like there was-what are you recovering from K9-RDY-B

[VolunteerK9]

I had a torn rotator cuff and a labral tear in my left shoulder. Got it 'fixed' last Wednesday. I'm here to tell ya, its the worst friggin pain Ive ever experienced.

I dont think the hives demise was due to anything other than a low population going in to winter. Lesson learned the hard way.

[rdy-b]

 yea fall brood that turns into long lived winter bees-is very important
 to cary the hive through--sounds like your on light duty for awhile-pain is no fun-RDY-B