Whats your favorite brood box configuration?

[mat299]

Ok, for discussion purposes, I would like to hear what everyone's favorite brood box configuration is.  One single deep, double deeps, one deep and then a medium, all mediums or something else.  I am a second year beek and last year I ran double deeps on all my hives.  This year, I installed some new packages in single deep brood boxes.  They are still in the single deeps as of now of course, but I thinking about running either single deep brood boxes this year or a single deep and a medium.  Any thoughts?

[Steel Tiger]

This year it's a deep and two mediums...or however many extra mediums they want. Next spring when they're clustered up to, the deep will be taken away and replaced with a medium.

[iddee]

My favorite would be two deeps full of brood and 4 deeps full of capped honey. So far, I've never gotten my favorite.

I use either a deep and a medium for brood if I set up for honey, or 2 deeps if I set up for splits.

[bailey]

All mediums in a stack big enough for the bees.

[10framer]

double deeps.  but i may start running a deep and two mediums on some hives eventually.  i plan on selling nucs in a few years and there seems to be a lot of demand for bees in medium equipment other wise i wouldn't do it.

[mikecva]

I have been running 3 mediums for a number of years now. Before that 2 deeps but I had to swap the two deeps a few times and had problems with the weight. I even tried just swapping center frames (the bees did not care but it was a pain in the a_s doing that.) I convinced myself that an uninterrupted centered cluster in the middle box was better for the bees and have not regretted it since.

No scientific date here: since using all mediums I have not had to swap boxes in the spring.  -Mike

[L Daxon]

I have all 8 frame medium equipment so I run at least 3, sometimes 4 in late spring/early summer, brood boxes.  Back in the day when I could lift 10 frame deep equipment I used double deep brood chambers and think double deeps are probably better for the queen to lay in (don't have to cross into so many different boxes). But no scientific data to support that, and no back to support it either :-D.

[AllenF]

2 deeps for brood.    I run shallows for honey supers.  

[edward]

10 frame double Deep with Queen excluder a high sided bottom board.


mvh Edward  :-P

[BlueBee]

I give the bees what the bees want.  Large 14.5” deep combs for brood.  Can’t get much easier than that. :)

[Georgia Boy]

New to beekeeping and older than most so I am following bailey, Michael and others and going all mediums. The back isn't what it used to be.   :)

David

[Sparky]

All mediums is the most favorite thing done since I become a bee keeper.

[RHBee]

All mediums, 8 frame. Standardize equipment, as many as it takes.

[obxbee]

I'm using two deeps for brood, if they want more I'll give it to them. I'm making mediums and shallows for honey.

[Joe D]

I am running double deep, ten frame for brood.  Have been running shallows for honey, this year I have some mediums for honey also.   Last year was catching swarms, put one in a shallow, latter added a deep and then another deep.  Had three shallow supers on it for honey and they swarmed last week. 




Joe

[Michael Bush]

As many eight frame mediums as they want.

[hardwood]

All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott

[10framer]

All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott

i could have handled that 20 years ago, i probably would have still tried it 10 years ago but there is no way i could do it now. 

[Jim134]

All 10 frame deeps no excluder. Yes...back killer :-D

Scott

Did this in the 50s 60s 70s

 
In 1985 to now all 10 frame mediums and I do have some 5 frame mediums nuc no excluder!!!

As many 10 frame mediums as they want.





                            BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[rwurster]

Ten frame double deeps for brood and mediums for honey supers, no excluders.