Making a split as a new Beek??

[dnichols]

I am new this year and currently have 5 hives. Three from packs and 2 from nucs. Two of the hives currently have drawn out both deeps and I added a super on each two days ago. I added a second brood box on the third and the forth hive is almost ready for a super. My fifth hive is a little slow as it is having an issue with Chalk brood. It is not in the same yard as the other four. I added a second brood box to her yesterday. My question is would it be wise or unwise to try and make a split or two from the strongest hives at this time of the year? Or should I just ride it out and hope for a small honey crop and worry about adding to the yard with splits after my first winter?

Thanks for the help!

[johng]

Making the split as a first year beek is not really a problem. I made multiple splits my first year. I am not sure how long it would take to build up a nuc in time to over winter in your area. I would definatly use a mated queen to make your split. I'm not sure I would split my strongest hive. Why not use the your fith hive to make the split requeen that hive and make a nuc with the other half. That way you have a split and you still may get some honey from your stronger hives.

[dnichols]

Making the split as a first year beek is not really a problem. I made multiple splits my first year. I am not sure how long it would take to build up a nuc in time to over winter in your area. I would definatly use a mated queen to make your split. I'm not sure I would split my strongest hive. Why not use the your fith hive to make the split requeen that hive and make a nuc with the other half. That way you have a split and you still may get some honey from your stronger hives.

What keeps the bees you split out from coming back to the mother hive?

[johng]

Theres a couple different ways to help with that. One way is to move the origianl hive over and put the split in its place. Then the foragers will return to the split. Another way is to shake in a couple extra frames of nurse bees into the split. The nurse bees will always stay where you put them as long as they have brood to take care of. Or you can move the split a couple miles away for a week or so and then bring it back.