Mediums? 8 frame? What to Do.

[Sundance]

I have given this so much thought my ears are bleeding!!!

I see the wisdom of medium brood chambers and 8 frame configuration.

I have to order 2 pallets of boxes ASAP.

A decision has to be made in a week or so!!! I know no one can answer the question so I guess I'm just venting a bit here. :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[BjornBee]

First, fix those ears. Then order the boxes. then take two asperin and pull yourself together. 6 yellow heads? You are a very confused individual.

[Sundance]

Indeed, on this one I am.

A fair amount of work in the switch. Nuc boxes to convert. Present 10 frame deeps (30 colonies) to convert......

[BjornBee]

Sell them and use the money to buy new.

[MichaelW]

Dont convert, sell for profit!!

Shake'em down to make "packages" to start your new medium hives and sell single deeps as starter hives. (just one way to do it)

At least with the 8 verses 10, the frames are interchangeable and you can use both without much worry till you figure out which you like better.

[MichaelW]

I only have 6 deeps to get rid of, but instead of converting I'm going to use them for now and sell them maybe next year. I'll make some splits from them if I need to, by makeing an "extension" to my medium boxes with srap wood. It will be stapled to the medium. When I sell the deeps as starter colonies, left over drawn frames from the deep splits will be pedled as 4 or 5 frame nucs.

There could be profit had in building deep boxes for this years splits and selling double the deep boxes you have now this spring as starter colonies. Or sell deep 4 frame nucs and when they get the removed frames drawn out some sell the deeps.

Lots of possibilities, but just cutting everything down will be a lots of time spent with no monetary profit.

Design a feeder to slide into the bottom of your deep nuc boxes, then use them as medium nuc boxes.

[ March 24, 2006, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: MichaelW ]

[BjornBee]

As a seller of nucs, the demand for deeps is way more then mediums. This only matters if you sell. But MW is right.

My older deeps I just use as swarm boxes.

[Michael Bush]

I agree. You'll make a lot more on hives with bees. smile.gif

If you are worried about working them then the eight frame mediums are a nice choice. If you're concerned about resale value of the hives, (which usually isn't much anyway) then standard ten frame mediums will be worth more.

[Sundance]

At 50 working them is certainly an issue. I purchased a boom to aid in that.

Pollination of almonds is also a goal and I am hoping 3 medium 8 framer's would qualify.

[Nick Noyes]

I might be interested in trading 8's for 10's if that would help?