Winter loss, placing packages in these hives?

[kokettja]

I had a few hives die out here in MN early last winter - I am guessing they just did not have enough numbers to properly cluster. These hives have a large quantities of residual winter stores - I am guessing 75# per 2 deeps. The hives are clean, dry, free of mold/mildew & don't appear to have any disease. I plan to place packages in these hives this week.

Is there any potential issues in using these hives & the residual stores for packages?

Would you suggest feeding syrup in addition to the stores or will they plug the open cells & prevent broad rearing?

Thanks.

[robherc]

Think I'd steal some of the honey for me before installing the new bees!
Honestly, 75lbs of syrup would be WAY overfeeding a new pkg if there is any flow going on, I'd steal 50lbs of honey out of each hive, leave 'em with up to 25lbs/hive & install the new bees. That way you aren't feeding anything unnatural to them, but they'll have one HECK of a head-start over "unfed" package bees.

That's my opinion, so now for the arguments to begin...ask 10 beeks a question about feeding, you'll get 25 conflicting answers...lol, it's a personal thing, methinks.