Nucs: 2 or 3 frames??

[theriverhawk]

I am wanting to make selling nucs a viable little side income.  I've got a 5 year plan of growing it to 50+ nucs a year.  I am in year 2 with 18 last year and 30 this year.  I've always made splits/nucs  both for selling and personal use by using 3 frames of bees then growing them into 5.  Anyone ever start with 2 frames?  I'm committed to 5 frame nucs this year and got to thinking that I could get a real jump start on next year if I started with 2 frames.   This also impacts my plan of going to selling 4 frame nucs instead of 5 frame nucs.

Yes, I know it will take longer to grow from 2 to 5.  I'm ok with that.  Just wondered if 2 frames left them a little too weak.

Thoughts or experiences?

[Finski]

I am wanting to make selling nucs a viable little side income.  I've got a 5 year plan of growing it to 50+ nucs a year. 

I think that if you want to earn with nucs, you need a good reputation. 3 frames nucs are really bad to nurse to beginners. 5 frame is a good start and far much better than package bees.

When you make nucs, you should have huge hives which produce bees to the nucs. Then the nuc makes the brood and it takes only 2 weeks.

You should care about varroa too that they are cleaned quite well before selling.

Practivally 3 frame hive is to me mating nuc. It is a mere nuisance alone. When it is good flow, it fills itself with honey. I can move frames to bigger hives and give empty combs to be layed.

.One thing is too that you need quite much new combs to sell. In that job you need big hives help.

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[theriverhawk]

You did not read my post very well...I sell 5 frame nucs.  I am considering starting with 2 frames and growing them to 5 frame nucs.  My question is if anyone else has done this.

[hardwood]

Are you talking 2 frames of brood? If so I do it all the time. If you mean 1 frame of brood and 1 frame of honey/pollen I do during summer flows.

Scott

[bailey]

Have a nice 2 frame med nuc in the back with a pretty new virgin queen 2 days old in it.
Bailey