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Offline PLAN-B

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Honey bound?
« on: May 08, 2013, 08:22:43 am »
I have two hives that I got as Nucs a few weeks ago. They are now in 8 frame medium hive bodies. They both have at least one and a half frames of foundation that has not been drawn out yet... Problem is all the available space the queen has to lay is filled up with pollen, water or honey... Should I add a hive body on top to give them more room even though they have not drawn out all of the frames in the initial brood chamber? Any help is greatly appreciated...
Marshall

Offline Jim134

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2013, 08:47:08 am »
What size Nucs did you start with (number of frames) ??? if 5 frames
"Now in 8 frame medium hive bodies"
3 empty medium frames is not a lot of room
Why do you not have the second boxes on ???
And are you feeding ???




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« Last Edit: May 08, 2013, 09:00:22 am by Jim 134 »
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Moots

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2013, 09:29:08 am »
B,
Are your non-drawn Frames still on the ends?  If so, you might want to consider moving them to the center, or at least closer towards the center to encourage them to draw them.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2013, 09:58:38 am »
Never let them run out of room... and if they are honey bound, don't feed them...
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Offline gov1623

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2013, 11:39:55 am »
Add another box asap. Our main flow is about to start with the Chinese tallow( if you have tallow in your area) so they will defiantly need more room.
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Offline PLAN-B

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2013, 01:29:38 pm »
They were in five frame Nucs until I picked them up... On that day I moved them to an 8 frame medium hive body... I have not fed these bees at all and yes I have tons of Chinese tallow in my area....

Thanks for the comments and when I get off work ---- on go more hive bodies... Thanks . Should I go ahead as moots suggested and move the outer frames that haven't been touched to the middle? And should I do any other frame swapping? i.e. move a frame or two up top or just let them do it???
And one more thing--- these bees were started foundationless...it seems they just eat the foundation I put in and build there own... Should I put a few frames without foundation in between the new hive body I place on top or just let them do there thing? Once again thanks for any/all info... Would be lost without y'all...  :?
Marshall

Offline gov1623

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2013, 02:01:20 pm »
If you are doing foundationless you could swap frames 1 and 8 with 2 and 7. I do it all the time with foundationless,  but I don't like doing it with foundation. I found with foundation it creates a wall and the queen will not go past it until it is drawn out which usually makes them more congested. When adding the second box you should go all foundationless or all foundation. If you mix them it usually don't turn out well. If you go with foundationless Put one drawn comb in the middle to get them started in the right direction.
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Offline PLAN-B

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2013, 03:32:40 pm »
Thanks gov... I have foundation and am going that route...
Marshall

Offline Joe D

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2013, 01:27:13 am »
If you have plastic foundation, keep an eye on them.  I got first plastic foundation this year, as the hives were getting full added a medium 10 frame super to each hive.  It started raining for over a week and had some cold spells.  Each hive swarmed before I got to check them.  When I did get to check there was no comb being built on any of them.  Adding more wax to them now.  Good luck B




Joe

Moots

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2013, 07:50:36 am »
If you have plastic foundation, keep an eye on them.  I got first plastic foundation this year, as the hives were getting full added a medium 10 frame super to each hive.  It started raining for over a week and had some cold spells.  Each hive swarmed before I got to check them.  When I did get to check there was no comb being built on any of them.  Adding more wax to them now.  Good luck B

Joe

Joe,
Since B is commenting that his bees are eating his foundation...I'm assuming he's using wax.  If his bees are eating plastic foundation, now that's some tough bees!  :laugh:

Offline Joe D

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2013, 03:28:26 pm »
I didn't know or catch that Moots, but I understand that bees will eat the wax off of plastic foundation also.  Just throwing that out about the plastic foundation.




Joe

Offline PLAN-B

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2013, 07:07:07 pm »
Thanks joe... I am indeed using wax foundation...on my way to the house now to throw a couple hive bodies on top.....
Marshall

Offline Joe D

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2013, 10:06:19 pm »
Hope it all goes good for you Plan B.  I was out today removing the plastic frames/ with wax to add more wax tomorrow while it's raining.




Joe

Offline Finski

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2013, 11:01:25 pm »

 Was it nuc or package? Few weeks ago..
Nuc grows all the  time but with package it takes 4 weeks that new bees have emerged some amount.

Still undrawn foundations?  = colony is not able to handle more space.  Must wait for new bees from combs.

....and too much proposals how to give more undrawn frames.

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Offline Finski

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2013, 11:13:00 pm »
.
The size of colony......medium frames .....as Langstrot frames not even 5 frames bees?

That size colony cannot handle strong nectar flow.
To give next foundation box makes things worse because  there are no bees to work.

One solution is bye more bees and join to present hive.
I do not believe that they are nucs.
More bees makes things happen faster and it helps in main problem, too much honey

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Offline PLAN-B

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2013, 03:46:25 pm »

 Was it nuc or package? Few weeks ago..
Nuc grows all the  time but with package it takes 4 weieks that new bees have emerged some amount.

Still undrawn foundations?  = colony is not able to handle more space.  Must wait for new bees from combs.

....and too much proposals how to give more undrawn frames.

.


finski I have read a heard people say the exact same thing that you are saying... I'm just not sure why the ladies are not drawing out the remaining frames when they clearly need the space... They have plenty bees covering all drawn frames, but if they don't make room for the queen to lay --- those numbers will surely diminish...
I don't nor does anyone I'm sure mind taking advice from you--- just try to give it without the "you're an idiot tone" .... :-D.  Yes I am new at this and would love to hear your input... Thanks in advance...
Marshall

Offline Finski

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2013, 04:57:06 pm »

I don't nor does anyone I'm sure mind taking advice from you--- just try to give it without the "you're an idiot tone" .... :-D.  Yes I am new at this and would love to hear your input... Thanks in advance...

idiot or not. They are your bees and your problems.
I know exactly how to make  colonies grow.

I have done really much idiotic things in beekeeping. :)
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Offline PLAN-B

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2013, 06:01:43 pm »
Finski I would like to thank you for your words of wisdom...
Marshall

Offline Finski

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Re: Honey bound?
« Reply #18 on: May 10, 2013, 08:57:43 pm »
Finski I would like to thank you for your words of wisdom...

thanks to you for rare delicacy!

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