Bees for an Oservation Hive

[ccwonka]

I'd like to leech some bees off my hives and add them to a bought queen for my observation hive, but I'm not sure 1. If that will work, or 2. how to go about it?

Can I just shake some bees out of each hive so that I'm making little impact on any one hive?  Will they get along?  If I out them into the OB hive with the caged queen will it all suss out by the time they release her?

Should I just suck it up and steal a good solid frame from a strong hive already covered with bees so they're all from one hive?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[buzzbee]

I took a frame of capped brood covered with bees(Not the queen though,already one in the ob hive)from a strong hive and put in .The brood emerged and gave an instant boost to the ob hive.

[Kathyp]

i have a 5 frames ob hive.  when i set mine up, i took two frames of brood and let them raise their own queen.  it was fun and educational.  i took the frames out of two different hives and a frame of honey also from a 3rd hive.  the other two frames were foundation.

shaking bees into the hive might be a little tricky.  what would make them stay long enough to get it closed up?  the caged queen shouldn't be a problem, but remember, you'll have to get back in there to release her, or to retrieve the cage.

part of having an ob hive is learning.  if you try something and it doesn't work, you'll know it pretty quickly and you can try something else.  

[irekkin]

i don't think you'd be doing any harm to a strong hive by taking a frame of capped brood, along with all the bees that are attached. just make sure you don't get the queen. also, check in about three days to make sure they're not trying to raise a queen. jmo cbw hbb. good luck

[Scadsobees]

Because of the trouble of having to open up the obs. hive and all that, I might suggest taking a frame of bees from the other hive, AND the queen, put that and shake a bunch extra into the obs. hive.  Give the new queen to the regular hive.  That way you don't need to open the obs. hive to take out a queen cate.

I just took one or two frames with eggs and bees, shook some extra, and let the obs. hive raise thier own queen.  Not the ideal queen, but with only one or two frames to lay in she's been fine for 2 years now.

Rick