Crazy comb and management questions

[chefbeek]

Hi all-
Well I went out to see the 3 free hives today (not so free anymore, like puppies...)

One is a BOOMER. 3 deeps full of brood, bees and honey. I reversed it and put it into new equipment last week along with two frames of foundation in the top deep in bridge combed empty slots. I put a deep of foundation on them this morning when I discovered they had the 2 frames of foundation almost drawn out, and we aren't even on our flow yet. They were drawing comb up into the top cover hole. They need room and I will certainly be doing some sort of split on this one in the next few weeks I think. Any suggestions? I considered buying some queens and making some nucs. FYI, I just ordered Hive management and Increase Essentials form Amazon. I'm over my head and my mentor is swamped with his own yards. You guys are my mentors now...

Two is ok, but I need to put it into new equipment also and reverse it, but the comb is all over the place. I don't want to mess with things too much, but I can't see how I will ever be able to manage these frames in the future.

Should I just reverse it into new equipment (maintaining the brood configuration of course) and leave it alone, mess and all?

What do you do when you encounter a mess of bridge, bad frame spacing and out of whack frame drawing?

Thanks in advance. I think these free bees were a blessing, but they have really pushed the learning curve up. Havin' fun though and no matter my fumblings, the bees don't seem to mind.

TIA,
Eamon
Chefbeek

[Ross]

I cut it loose and bend it back onto the frame it belongs on, scrap the really bad stuff, rubber band as needed, etc, to get them back on the right track. They won't fix it on their own.

[okb]

Do a cut out.

[Paraplegic Racehorse]

Break it into three hives simply by separating the boxes, making sure each box has some fresh eggs or very young brood. Place these boxes ON TOP OF boxes of empty, drawn comb or foundation, making sure all this new stuff is STRAIGHT.

The queenless boxes will raise a queen (if not, they can always be recombined or receive a new queen in a few days).

Continue to super at the bottom board, rather than above the brood nest.

As the brood hatches, the queen(s) will move down into the newer comb and the old stuff will be filled with honey. Harvest it in the fall with the rest of your honey; you'll probably have to crush-n-strain it, but you'll get honey. Do with the wax and frames whatever you want.

In the fall, you should not only have more hives, but they'll be on straight comb.