Author Topic: How Many Hives Do You Have? (Read 8563 times)

Bee Boy · « **on:** May 22, 2004, 01:10:51 pm »

How many hives do you have currently set up with bees and everything?

Bee Boy

Beth Kirkley · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2004, 01:46:33 pm »

I have two, that got a shaky start but seem strong now. The first was started last summer from a 2 lb package of bees. The second was a split from the first. At this point I want to get myself up to 10 hives. I think that will be enough of a job - part time mind you - but a job anyway. It takes me about 30 minutes in each hive to do a good look through. That's from the start of opening the lid, to the end of closing it up. So I figure with 10 hives I could manage it well, but I'd have to be very diligent in my inspections. On nice weeks I could look over 2 hives and be done. During rainy, cloudy, or cold weeks I'd have a much larger job to manage on the possible ONE day I'd get for inspection. That can be pretty rough if I don't start to get over my dependence on the bee suit. That thing gets HOT very quickly.

Beth

Queen Bee · « **Reply #2 on:** May 22, 2004, 03:49:54 pm »

I have ten hives and two nucs! I will probably add another nuc this fall. I add the nucs just to have a place to 'keep' queens.

BigRog · « **Reply #3 on:** May 22, 2004, 07:21:52 pm »

Ya forgot 0! :lol:

Next year for me

beefree · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2004, 04:10:51 pm »

i only own one. i'm taking care of 4 that belog to someone else, and 2 more that belong to his son (different location). And i may be helping out somebody during honey harvest...or if his tree throws a swarm (he volunteered to show me how to catch it, beekeepers are as friendly as quilters and i never thought i'd ever meet another group of people so helpful as that).
Next year i will have ONE (okay, maybe two) in MY BACKYARD (enough of this driving 40 miles one way just to work the bees).
beefree

Lechwe · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2004, 09:35:24 pm »

I only have one of my own right now. I am taking care of 4 others for another person who is sick and can't. Next year I plan to get 2 more packages and split my current hive.

Lupus · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2004, 12:15:25 am »

I have had over 20 but I am starting over from scratch this year. If this last split works I will have 7. I am planing on making 8 this year. I will try to stop myself at 10. I think 8-10 is a good hobby number more starts getting a little serious.

beemaster · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2004, 12:15:53 pm »

I think if Bee Boy redid this poll and broke it down to NUMBER OF HIVES from 0 to 10 then we'd have a more balanced poll. This poll does though show that the majority are indeed backyard beekeepers and NOT farming bees at higher hive rates.

I'd be curious to see the numbers 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9, 9-10, more than 10. Then I know we'd see some interesting numbers - my guess is 2 to 5 hives is typical in the forum from all the many posts I have read.

Anonymous · « **Reply #8 on:** June 27, 2004, 02:54:28 am »

Started with 2 splits from another beekeeper last year. One died this spring and I got another hive in May. Split both hives in May. Created a nuc by combining frames from the original two hives that has grown strong enough to now be in a regular hive body and is going strong. Started another nuc last week that now has queen cells in it so I'm hoping for the best.

tejas · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2004, 01:08:44 pm »

One hive for me, but sure wish I had started with two like most people suggest. I think it would have made it much easier to know if your hives are doing ok or not. I will add at least one more next spring.

asleitch · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2004, 01:24:28 pm »

I started with 1, to which I added a "nuc", then got 2 swarms, and then after artificially swarming the first hive, have ended up with 5. (this is still my first season, having started in March). It's really really handy to start with a few, as I can really see the differences between them. I'm improving at spotting the queen, and on manipulations, it's far easier to do comparisons.

Adam

BeeDog · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2014, 12:33:18 pm »

This poll was posted a very long time ago almost 10 years. :-D I am resurrecting it. 8-)

capt44 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2014, 12:40:08 pm »

Right now I have 32 hives, Italian, in 10 frame Langstroth hives

tefer2 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 09, 2014, 01:25:50 pm »

This poll is from 2004!
I have exactly one more hive than all of you do! :lau: :lau: :lau: :lau:

stanisr · « **Reply #14 on:** February 09, 2014, 02:11:58 pm »

Currently have 5 hives, started the winter with 6. In thirty days we will see how many made it. :?

GSF · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2014, 10:00:50 pm »

Do we answer how many we had then or how many we have now?

:lau:

splitrock · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2014, 10:45:40 pm »

95 going into winter, and it has been brutal.

T Beek · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2014, 08:51:23 am »

"Brutal" is indeed the word for this winter, and its far from over :'(. Went into winter w/ five colonies in 10 frame Langs and 3 NUCs in a LONG Hive. Won't know for a while yet whether or which (or any) of them survived……... :-\

I suspect the 10 Hives and below will be the most selected in this poll.

BeeDog · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2014, 08:56:53 am »

Currently I have seventy hives with only four having bees on it. :-P :-D :mrgreen:

T Beek · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2014, 09:20:23 am »

Quote from: BeeDog on February 10, 2014, 08:56:53 am

Currently I have seventy hives with only four having bees on it. :-P :-D :mrgreen:

Sounds like its time for some splits. You got bees, you got equipment…….are you ready (mentally and physically) for the expansion?

When is swarm season in your part of the world?

This site has an excellent section on 'rapid bee growing' but you probably already know that. Good Luck, have FUNNNNNN!

BeeDog · « **Reply #20 on:** February 10, 2014, 09:34:39 am »

Swarming season here is in late April or early May, I have a lot of boxes since I make my own equipment/hive boxes. I will be splitting after the main honey flow which started this month since almost all flowering plants and fruit orchards are blooming and will end on April. Hope I will double the number of my colonies this year. :)

T Beek · « **Reply #21 on:** February 10, 2014, 09:45:31 am »

Wow! That is amazing! I guess I just assumed swarms were possible most of your season and 'not so close' with ours. Our swarm season begins in late May, early June. What's amazing is that we 'currently' have minus 22 F degrees and over 3.5 ' of snow, likely a 60 to 80 degree difference than you're having……..today any way. 8-)

WOW! :)

my-smokepole · « **Reply #22 on:** February 16, 2014, 10:03:38 pm »

42 going into winter. I hope to know my looses this week

Edgy · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2014, 10:49:52 pm »

Zero and counting

kingd · « **Reply #24 on:** February 18, 2014, 07:08:38 am »

I now have 8, just waiting for some bees to put in them :-D

T Beek · « **Reply #25 on:** February 18, 2014, 09:25:15 am »

After 50+ days w/ below freezing temps, today we are expected to reach 38F (its 18 F right now). High enough for cleansing flights, provided the winds are calm, so I'll chime in with any successes or failures tomorrow, possibly a new thread. I'm praying for massive amounts of 'yellow polka dots' in the snow…... :-\ Any good wishes will always be appreciated. :)

BeeDog · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2014, 10:03:10 am »

Just had my 5th hive with bees as I got mated queen yesterday and split... so I now have 70 hives with 5 having bees on it. :-D

D Semple · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2014, 07:48:10 pm »

Got to check 3 yards today, lost 5 out of 28 hives in those. 1st flying day we have had in about 2 months, supposed to be back in the teens next week. Only one of my losses was from a big hive the other 4 were all last year cutouts :) Been a cold winter will be glad to see it go.

Don

GSF · « **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2014, 08:02:33 pm »

Good Luck to you there T Beek, and others as well.

Stevezone5 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2014, 11:15:59 pm »

T Beek... you have my wish for good luck.....al lI ask is for a little of the same :)

My wife and I started fall with 6 colonies this year. I was expecting one to fail early and it did (late fall). With the other five I was figuring a majority loss. Maybe coming out of winter with one or two?

So far we lost 4 total. But spring is a-ways away

How many Hives do I have?? two alive (for now) and 8 drawn 10 frame deeps ready for packages.

GL all Steve

splitrock · « **Reply #30 on:** February 19, 2014, 09:08:35 pm »

Well it hit 50 here today after an extended cold period, and I was able to get into my hives to put some feed on. It was obvious nobody had made any cleansing flights for a while, it was probably the messiest afternoon I ever spent in my bee yard. Everyone must have got out.

I was pleasantly surprised with the numbers I saw. I know I still have a ways to go, but it's running about 10% loss for me, and I had close to 100 hives going into winter.

I hope t-beek has similar results, and that everyone else fares well.

Poll

How many hive do you have currently set up?

Author Topic: How Many Hives Do You Have? (Read 8563 times)

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