2 Mediums of 1 to Start a Hive?

[Tulipwood]

I have read Michael Bush's information on small cell and the use of medium supers with great interest. This spring, I am planning to start two new hives using only mediums and nucs of small cell Italians from Don the BeeMan.

My question is: Since the mediums are smaller in volume, do you start with two mediums? Or do you use one medium and then put another empty on later as you would if using deeps?

[BjornBee]

Same concepts apply.

[ December 09, 2006, 06:08 AM: Message edited by: BjornBee ]

[BerkeyDavid]

Since the mediums are smaller in volume, do you start with two mediums? Or do you use one medium and then put another empty on later as you would if using deeps?
Start with one, as Bjorn stated. Then add as volume increases and comb is drawn.

[Hanginin]

You also have the advantage of only one size equipment, everything is interchangeable.

[Donna Marie, Honeybee by the Sea]

Hi Tulipwood,
I will be adding two colonies to my apiary and am planning to get two small cell medium five frame Italian nucs from Don thefatbeeman as well.

I am running eight frame mediums so my plan is to install the five nuc frames, with three undrawn sc foundation frames, but immediately place the second brood box with foundation, since they will have five of eight already drawn in the bottom brood box (transfer nuc frames). This will be my first nuc experiment, all others were packages.

Thats the plan. I run three eight frame mediums for brood on my other colonies.

I sure don't want them to feel cramped!

Cheers DML

[Michael Bush]

I have the best luck with packages putting them in a five frame medium nuc. I always minimize the space until they get going well. I would put a five frame medium nuc in an eight frame medium box and not add boxes until that one was pretty full. But then I live in a very cold climate in the spring.

I have done side by side tests putting one package in a five frame nuc box and another in five medium boxes. They both surived and did ok but the five frame nuc took off much more quickly and, in fact, I split it several times that year and had several hives going into winter from it.

[Sundance]

MB...... I am doing packages for the first
time this spring and was intending to dump
them into a single 10 frame deep until I
read your post.

Going with HSC deeps in a 5 frame Nuc sounds
like it makes more sense, especially since I
will be caging them in for a couple 2 to 3
days.

Thanks for the insight as usual... smile.gif

[drobbins]

Bruce

I don't know if you'll have the resources to do this but I would think if you could give them each a frame with some brood and 4 HSC frames you'd help a lot with acceptance plus the emerging brood would give em a real kick in the pants smile.gif

would this be a good idea or just give em an alternative to the plastic?
remember, I'm makin this all up as I go :rolleyes:

Dave