Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea  (Read 2062 times)

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« on: March 17, 2007, 11:56:47 am »
I have been reading and reading and thinking and thinking about the unlimited brood chamber.  I think that is an aspect of beekeeping that makes the most sense that I can make sense of.

In retrospect, if I had employed this concept last year with my colonies, I think that I may still have had more than 2 colonies left out of 10.

A big mistake that I know that I made last summer was not keeping an open brood nest.  Things that I have learned that past year, and might I add, a good majority of it from listening to advices and comments from this forum, have made for what I will be calling a forthcoming successful season of beekeeping.  I do not anticipate excess honey, this will be my year of building up.  If I have excess honey, bonus.  Next year, look out, my aspirations of mountains of honey will be realized.  I know that.  I am an optimistic person and this is what I will be expecting from my girls that will go into this winter strong and healthy.

Hmmm...now where was I?  Right, unlimited brood nest.  I believe in my own mind for sure that if the queen is never restricted to a laying area by a queen excluder (and providing supers are liberally given), there should be no real reason for the queen to ever become honeybound, hence many many babies.  Good, strong, healthy colonies.  Best of the beautiful days.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2007, 03:06:14 pm »
Well Cindi of the best place to point you to is to the member who has a few items on his website about bees.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesulbn.htm
extra points if you can identify the member.
(hint: he also likes horses)

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2007, 07:15:22 pm »
>there should be no real reason for the queen to ever become honeybound

The queen will become honeybound because the bees want to swarm.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2007, 11:48:57 pm »
Michael, ah yes.  I know your site well.  You have spent a lot of time putting together a site that is a very wonderful place to spend time and do research.  I have spent many hours reading and rereading most of the site.  I love it and wish to thank you publicly for a job well done.  Your site is a great mentoring site for many, beginners and I would hope well seasoned ones as well.  Keep on keeping on.  Greatest days ahead.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2007, 12:48:31 am »
>there should be no real reason for the queen to ever become honeybound

The queen will become honeybound because the bees want to swarm.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm

I think that I used the wrong terminology when I spoke of the queen being honeybound.  What I meant was that if the bees are not given enough supers to store honey, then they HAVE to store it in the broodnest and the queen does not have room to lay.  That is what I meant.

When I read the part again (I have read it many times and get more retained information each time I read it) about the swarm prevention, I was actually surprised that when the bees feel that they have raised enough bees, then they actually prevent the queen from laying more eggs and backfill the brood chamber with honey.  Makes perfect sense.  It is amazing how they govern their queen's every move.  I also now understand the importance of removing the honey frames and arranging the brood chamber and replacing EMPTY frames (no foundation) so now we govern her to lay more eggs.  Unemployed nurse bees does not sound very good, we all need jobs.

Interesting sequence: (and as you say, depending on the size of colony too)

BBEBBEBBEB 

I have embedded this to my memory.  Again, excellent site and we have you to thank, Michael. Best day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Unlimited brood chamber -- best idea
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2007, 10:39:14 am »
I did not mean to disagree than an ULBN is a great idea.  Just that I would not COUNT on that to prevent swarming.  It will, however, HELP on preventing swarming as you pointed out.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

 

anything