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Author Topic: just want opinion on selling hives  (Read 8944 times)

Offline joker1656

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just want opinion on selling hives
« on: June 23, 2009, 11:11:48 pm »
I have started doing a few cutouts occasionally.  I am getting to the point where I am going to have too many hives for right now.  I wondered, does anyone sell there hives?  I know folks occasionally sell nucs.  If I do sell, should I sell just one deep with neccessary equip, or two?  What is a fair price for a working hive?  I considered giving them to friends/family, but no one has accepted.....yet.  I may just work at getting them thru the winter and try to convince them to take them.  I would like for that to happen, but doubt I can motivate them that much.  We'll see.

so, what do you think?

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Offline Bee Happy

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2009, 01:47:12 am »
In another thread, someone mentioned selling bees (packages) as one of the most profitable moves you could make. All my bees were from nucs (ya gotta start somewhere.) Though I missed a swarm at my sister's house about a month ago. (It was a couple days before I could get over there and they were long gone by then.) Somewhere in the acres and acres of golf course and woodlands surrounding my sister's house is a tidy sum of bees setting up housekeeping in a hollow tree or something.
Anyway, to answer your question I think it's a great idea and may get someone involved in this amazing hobby, there might be some agriculture department regs you have to abide by...
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Offline justgojumpit

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2009, 09:48:54 pm »
I'd say a single deep hive with bottom board and migratory cover would probably be worth about $125, considering that a 5-frame nuc is worth about $90.  A single hive overwintered in the early spring might be worth even $150.  It all depends really on what your market is, and who is buying from you.  I definitely don't see a problem with selling the hives, you just want to make sure that they are good, healthy bees with a strong laying queen.  Keep them for a while to evaluate, and ideally overwinter them.

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Offline gwalker314

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2009, 10:45:18 pm »
I purchased my 1st hive that way. I paid $115.00 for a single deep with 10 drawn frames, bottom board, telescoping cover. The queen was 1 year old and bees covering all 10 frames. The hive swarmed 2 months later, but I was able to move a frame of unhatched queens cells to another deep. Now I have 2 hives. I was satisfied with buying an established hive so I'm sure there are many people who would like to start that way...
Good Luck

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Offline Ross

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2009, 04:17:45 pm »
(1) deep - assembled = $9
(10) frames - assembled and drawn = $20
(1) bottom board - assembled = $12
(1) top - migratory - assembled = $12
(3#) bees with queen = $75-90

Total = $143 before labor, feeding, etc

Beekeepers are notoriously cheap, so don't try to sell 1 or 2 hives at a time to them.  Target beginning beekeepers that want a running hive to get started with.  Five frame nucs go for $75-90, and that's just bees and maybe frames if they don't ask for exchange.  Start at $200 for reasonably new, painted equipment with a good bee population and an actively laying queen.
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Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2009, 12:53:49 pm »
There was a guy here selling hives just like you mentioned, he overwintered them and sold a 10 frame in used equipment that was serviceable. 115.00, take away. I would figure new equipment would bring it up a bit more of course, say 150.00 but after 150. I know I wouldn't have been interested even in my first year. I would keep it at 150. or below a tad.
Come to think of it , I went with packages that year. so the 115. in used equipment didn't seem like it was all that good to me.
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Offline JhnR

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2009, 06:53:40 pm »
In this area of New Hampshire and Western Maine they are charging $25 for queens and $130.00 for five deep frames, transferred to your equipment, from daughters of overwintered queens. An 8 frame hive for $200, in July, will have less varroa and should build a larger bee base for winter....we need more breaders in the 44/45's.

John

Offline TwT

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2009, 08:45:51 pm »
here in Ga., frames of brood with bee's goes for $10 a frame, add $10 a frame plus queen and then equipment and I wouldn't sale for $150.00 for a single deep, different times of the year hives sale for higher prices, in the spring more and in the fall less, so work your price by this and you should be ok in my book.... depending on how bad you want to sale them is how cheap you price them........
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Offline specialkayme

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2010, 03:34:50 pm »
I can't speak for others, but I think $150-$200 is a fair price for an established, 10+ frame hive.

Offline heaflaw

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2010, 08:41:00 pm »
I have someone that wants to buy 2 complete hives from me in late March/early April.  They want 2 deeps with with 2 small drawn honey supers each.  How would you price that?

Offline JP

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2010, 10:23:22 pm »
I have someone that wants to buy 2 complete hives from me in late March/early April.  They want 2 deeps with with 2 small drawn honey supers each.  How would you price that?

$500.00 for two set ups such as you mentioned is fair, you could possibly even get more than that.


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Offline specialkayme

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2010, 10:31:57 pm »
$400-$500 would be fair, in my opinion.

Offline iddee

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2010, 10:34:27 pm »
I agree with JP. 150.00 for a single deep hive complete. 50 for each additional deep, 25 each for each med. or shallow super.
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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2010, 12:38:40 pm »
I think you just slap an ad up on craigslist with a price on the high end and see what happens.  If that don't work, back it off a bit.

Now I'm terrible at selling stuff, but I tried it and within a week had sold my extra 10 frame hive for $100 (just the frames and bees) and could have sold 3 more easy.  And gotten more for them.  The guy that bought them drove an hour one way for one hive plus brought extra equipment just in case I had another hive I wanted to sell (boy was that tempting!!).

2 deep hive + super is going to be up there in $$ a ways.  Figure $80 - $100 for the bees (if a strong hive) and then add on the equipment price.

Rick
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Offline specialkayme

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Re: just want opinion on selling hives
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2010, 11:14:00 pm »
I would have been willing to drive an hour for that deal too. If 5 frame nucs, with one frame of pollen, one honey, and three brood is going for $85, I'd be willing to pay an extra $15 for twice the frames. Assuming the hive is strong.

But that's assuming that I had the cash, or needed the hive, which I don't right now.

 

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