First year package question

[COUNT ZERO]

One of my new packages (Italians) is cranking right along. This weekend I added another medium brood box. The hive now consists of 1 deep which the bees drew out themselves and 2 fully drawn mediums. The filled the first medium with brood in a week and a half. If they fill the second medium as fast as the first and I take them through our tough winters in that configuration (1 deep, 2 mediums), can I expect to get some honey supers on for myself this year? I realize there are some big "ifs" in the question. I didn't expect honey in my first year and I don't want to be greedy. I'm just excited! Is the fact that I'm using fully drawn foundation the reason they seem ahead of the game?

Brian

[Michael Bush]

Fully drawn foundation will put you ahead of the game. They won't have to draw the foundation first, they can just fill it.

Hard to say what you will get. Flows start and stop rather suddenly.

[Robert Hawkins]

Heya Count, if you're already drawn out in that top super they may decide to put honey there. Watch for it. If they do, it's super time. You're way ahead of the game. One deep and two mediums. Why did you decide that?

Hawk

[COUNT ZERO]

I have one deep and two mediums because I started with hive kits (2 deeps) from Mann Lake. I'm so crazy about bees that I bought 65 mediums from a beekeeper whose job was taking him to
Manhattan. Thirtyfive of those were fully drawn, one year old comb and the rest were unassembled. I didn't know it when I got into the hobby but now I want to go with all mediums. Already it's been easier. I could bait that second medium with comb from the first. I couldn't always do that with mixed equipment. Anyway, I have enough equipment for about 12 colonies give or take. I don't really have a feel for how many mediums a healthy colony will use. I'll probably order about 6 packages next year provided my two colonies live through the winter. I'd like to do a split or two and have a little woodenware left over for emergencies- i.e. swarms or over productive colonies. I'd like to go beyond hobbiest but am leary of growing too quickly considering I have less than one season's experience!

Brian- a.k.a The Count

[Robert Hawkins]

Okay your Countship, Most of us overwinter in two deeps or three mediums. They're about equal to each other. 2 deeps = 3 mediums. In comb space anyway. Your way out of mixed equipment assuming the deep is on the bottom, is to catch the queen in one of the mediums and throw on an excluder to keep her there. Then let the brood in the deep hatch out and you can remove the deep and dump the bees on top. Don't toss the deep box. There's other uses for that later.

Of course this is for next spring if you intend to overwinter the way they are now. That'll get you the most honey. Also if you want honey this year you can't split em yet. Check em for honey in that top medium. And make sure you've got you honey supers ready. Don't let em fill the medium with honey. If that starts, super.

Good Luck,

Hawk