Ross Round Comb Hives??

**S_Toast** · 03-20-2011, 09:16 AM

I have been looking at different hives and different set-ups and I'm wondering if anyone here uses the Ross Round. I am just looking to do this as a small scale hobby so I was intrigued by this. I love the "finished product" look and I'm thinking this would save me on equipment cost at first (honey extractor). Anyone have good OR bad experiences with the Ross Round?

**Island Apiaries** · 03-20-2011, 09:52 AM

I've had mediocre results with them. The ones that do get drawn out are nice, but I feel that you get a better return on your investment going with cut comb.
Your calling them hives makes me want to ask, You know that these are just for honey right? you will still need brood chambers. Don't mean to sound condescending, but we get some weird questions from newbies sometimes.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do!

**johng** · 03-20-2011, 11:58 AM

There are other ways to extract honey without an extractor. You can do what is called crush and stain. I don't know if I would want to run all ross round supers just to keep from buying an extractor. Most bee clubs have extraction partys or have extractors to loan out. Just some other options.

**NasalSponge** · 03-20-2011, 01:39 PM

It wasn't THAT long ago when a large amount of honey sold was sold as cut comb, but to be successful there are different management techniques, for instance you want a crowded brood chamber before you slap the Ross super on and you want to be in a good flow. The other thing is marketing, 30-40 years ago it wasn't unusual to chew a big wad of honeycomb, I know youngsters now that freak out if you offer them chicken with the bone still in it,

what would they do if I offered them gizzards and hearts (yummy BTW)?? I guess what I am getting at is you may want to research the market in your area....ask around abit.

**S_Toast** · 03-20-2011, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Island Apiaries

Your calling them hives makes me want to ask, You know that these are just for honey right? you will still need brood chambers. Don't mean to sound condescending, but we get some weird questions from newbies sometimes.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do!

I figured this was only for honey BUT I don't know what everything is called yet. You didn't sound condescending at all, I'm totally new at this so I would prefer it if I'm corrected when my questions don't make sense. This is why I'm not trying to get bees this season. I have TONZ of research to do.

Thanks for the responses about the RR system. I think I'll prob start out with cut comb from what I've read here and on some of the other threads I looked up on the RR.

**hoodswoods** · 03-20-2011, 06:55 PM

Lots of propolis, eaten wax foundation but no rounds. It was the 3rd box on the hive below the feeder, and I've yet to have them move into the 3rd, regardless. I'm pretty stingy feeding - 25lbs/hive/season.

It's the wife's project, so I'm gonna try & do better with more feed - which they say to do. I'll feed them this year whether they like it or not - it's only money (and a happy wife).

**sqkcrk** · 03-20-2011, 07:07 PM

Running a colony for the production of comb honey of any sort takes experience and knowledge, dare I say, beyond that of a beginner and many, if not most, experienced beekeepers. There are books, articles and chapters in books dewdicated to thge How To of comb honey production.

The late Ray Churchill, from near Watertown, NY wrote an article, which I believe was printed in Gleanings in Beeculture, many years ago. He produced alot of comb honey. And may have produced more comb honey off of one hive than anyone else.

I have a copy of that article at home, 1,000 miles away, or I would quote some of it fore you.

I suggest anyone who seriously wants to produce comb honey might want to do some research.

**Quint Randle** · 03-20-2011, 10:37 PM

I'm not a super beekeeper but have had success with Ross Rounds. What I have down is put it on my best performing hive. One that is really cranking. I first put a regular super on. And then when that one is almost full I put the Ross Round on just below it. That has worked for me several seasons.

Quint

**S_Toast** · 03-21-2011, 09:43 AM

Thanks for all the info guys. Looks like I won't try ross rounds to start but maybe add one to a hive when I get the hang of my bees a few seasons down the road. I think comb honey would do really well in my area. There are a lot of "farm folk" who still remember getting honey that way and also a lot of people going back to the "old" methods like milk straight out of the cow, fresh churned butter, etc. Thanks again. I'm putting ross rounds on my list of things to definitely try out later

**jjgbee** · 03-21-2011, 11:26 PM

As a semi commercial beek, I produced ross rounds for fruit stands I worked with. I only did it because I aquired about $3,000.00 worth of ross round equip. free. The covers , rings and lables and special hive are very expensive. A much better way to go is cut comb honey. Also when finishing a box of comb honey if your honey flow fails, through on a feeder. Apologies to all you purists but it works.

**smith** · 03-21-2011, 11:37 PM

I'm with Quint. I heard all sorts of advice about swarming problems and clipping queen's wings etc, etc, and I just went to a strong hive and put the Ross Rounds super on after a conventional honey super and they filled it without a hiccup. It's not as hard as the "wisdom" would make you think. Once the flow is on, they can't help themselves.