Inactivity in upper deep (HSC Question)

[Pond Creek Farm]

One of the hives is doing nothing in the upper deep. I put HSC in that deep, and the bees do not seem to like it.  ANother hive is doing fine with it, but I put the HSC in the lower deep in that one. Should I simply pull the HSC and replace it with some other foundation?  I could use the HSC on a package next year with a queen includer and know they will use it. My concern is that I need them to build up enough stores for winter, and if they won't use the HSC, there's no more room.

[purvisgs]

are you saying you put the hsc on top of a box w/ other types of frames?  I have personally only really used HSC on swarms, or shook swarms, the only place I gave the queen to lay was HSC.  I have tried a few frames of it here and there (mixed in) and only some hives will use it, when they really have to, others won't touch it.

I would also think that spring/ early summer may be the best time to "force" bees onto HSC

If you really want to go with the hsc now, I would: take some of the HSC that bees in your other hive have used (maybe 2 frames) and swap it with empty HSC from the untouched box.  this might get them started on using it because they will most likely accept these frames (that have been used by bees), get up into the box, and then start on the other frames...

Or/ also try filling (painting on) or dripping into the HSC combs heavy syrup/ honey... the bees may clean these out and then start using it.  I plan to try this with a bunch of "cut off" HSC pieces (I cut them down to mediums) in nucs, not quite sure how the pieces are going to fit together yet though

good luck!

[Pond Creek Farm]

That is exactly what I did.  Perhaps I am misusing the product.  Do you suggest in the short term that I take the HSC off and simply put in another foundation on this hive?  I have several medium supers with starter strips waxed into the top groove and could easily drop one on the lower deep.

BY the way, do you cull out the HSC from your Spring swarms or does it simply become the lower brood chamber foundation forever?