ok seriously I have lazy bees

[slacker361]

This is my deal .A month ago I got a 3 frame nuc. They are wooden frames in the nuc. I intermixed the peirco frames with in the three nuc and finally got the bees to start drawing comb. The brood which there was half a frame , i think just hatched within the last week. There really doesnt seem to be much honey stores for the little guys to munch on. when i put a pollen patty in a couple days ago it is almost gone.

Here is my questions:
1 do I have a week hive or is this just the way that they get going.

2 are they getting enough to eat? how much honey should there be in those frames right now?

3 I know there are alot of variables but how long should it take for a nuc to draw out a box of deep frames?

4 am I missing something that I should be doing to help the hive.

the queen is still in there and I still have more capped brood,however I keep seeing queen cells come and go. a week after installing them I had 4 queen cells ( i think the current queen got rid of them) and now I see two more queen cells. Is my queen failing?

thanks guys and gals

[AllenF]

There are so many variables in answering those questions.    Are you feeding?    How is the nectar flow in your area?   When you got your nuc, was it full of young nurse bees?

[bee-nuts]

How many frames of bees you have now?  Are you feeding syrup?  

You need to feed syrup unless they wont take it.  If they have no where to put the flow/syrup they will draw comb.

My five frame nucs fill deep in two/three weekx and needed another deep.  They were full of brood though.  Half a frame of brood dont sound very good.  I think either you have a poor queen, or they dont have enough food.

[slacker361]

WHEN I FIRST GOT THE Bees I was feeding a 1:1 hive top feeder. for the first few weeks. then I stopped. But after reading what you guys said, and how they devoured that pollen patty in just 2 days, maybe they are hungry, so I just gave the a 2:1 mixture and another whole pollen patty, there is no way they should be hungry now. with my luck I will have anorexic bees LOL.   now that should take care of most of the variables, except for her majesty , i think at least.

as far as the nectar flow, as long as there are blooms around there should be nectar ....right?

[bee-nuts]

WHEN I FIRST GOT THE Bees I was feeding a 1:1 hive top feeder. for the first few weeks. then I stopped. But after reading what you guys said, and how they devoured that pollen patty in just 2 days, maybe they are hungry, so I just gave the a 2:1 mixture and another whole pollen patty, there is no way they should be hungry now. with my luck I will have anorexic bees LOL.   now that should take care of most of the variables, except for her majesty , i think at least.

as far as the nectar flow, as long as there are blooms around there should be nectar ....right?

Yes but if they take the syrup there probably is  not enough available.  They will quit taking syrup if a good flow is on.  Same with patty and pollen.  They like the real thing but you should always feed a nuc or package if they take it.  I have now experience with three frame nucs but I assume you you should have at least five frames or more of bees now and at least two frames packed with brood.

[lenape13]

They are probably Democrats and are waiting on their handouts...   You should have kept feeding them until they stop taking it.  There's probably not enough in bloom around you to fully support their needs.  Sometimes they need a helping hand.  Last year I had to feed my girls through the summer and into the fall due to all the rain and their inability to get out and forage for themselves.  This year I barely had to feed, even the packages I started needed little feeding.

[slacker361]

lesson learned.....they have more than enough to eat now. they prob wont leave the hive at all and become lazy fat bees LOL

[FRAMEshift]

They are probably Democrats and are waiting on their handouts...   

Nah, they are Republicans.  All the food is going to the queen and a few of her closest friends.  :-D

[vermmy35]

They are probably sitting back smoking a blunt and drinking. :mrgreen:  Sounds like you need to get them into rehab before they start voting Democrat and try to re-elect Obama. :evil:

[bee-nuts]

lesson learned.....they have more than enough to eat now. they prob wont leave the hive at all and become lazy fat bees LOL

On a serious note, feed them and if they dont improve then you will need to figure out why:  Queen, disease, mites, or socialism.

Good luck.

[Xperiment]

"....
4 am I missing something that I should be doing to help the hive.

...

thanks guys and gals

Have you thought about a name change?   Maybe "slacker" is sending them the wrong message?    Maybe if you called yourself "human dynamo" or "perpetual motion machine" they might think that industriousness was called for?

Just thinking.

 

[slacker361]

ok my new name is "super honey producer"      think that will work?

[luvin honey]

Not sure about that, Slacker. If YOUR name is Super Honey Producer, they might let you do the job....

[slacker361]

dang this beek stuff is harder than it looks

[vermmy35]

Its only as hard as you make it.  Plus you get some great honey at the end of the year, and you'll always say yours is the best you ever tasted.