nuc management

[homer]

I built 4, 5 frame nuc boxes this winter and plan on using them in my small apiary this year.  My plan was to use them to create new queens via the "walk away" method and have them there as back ups through the summer and then combine some of them if need be, come fall.  My question is... How do you manage a nuc when you have a good laying queen in it.  Certainly she will fill it up wit eggs in no time and then all they are going to do is swarm.  Maybe this is a simple question but I'm not sure the answer to it.

[asprince]

You could a frame or two of brood and boost up another hive. Replace the frames with undrawn frames. That will slow them down. You could start another hive by moving them to a 10 frame box. You could even make a nuc super and let them make some honey.

Steve

[Michael Bush]

You can either add room or steal resources.  To add room move them to a bigger box or make some nuc boxes with no bottoms to add to the top.  To steal resources, take frames of capped brood and honey and give to your weaker hives that you're trying to build up.

[Brian D. Bray]

I plan to have at least one, if not 2, double or triple stacked medium nucs just for that purpose, holding an extra queen, having frames of honey or brood to boost another hive or to use as a double queen honey producer.  I actually constructed a bottomless hive stand just for that configuration.

[HAB]

Built two, bought four wood, and four cardboard and going to get about six more cypress 5 frame nucs.  They are the handiest thing I've found to have on hand. :bee: :bee: :bee: