I see there are many posts about going foundationless. I have read many of them including most of what I find on Michael Bush's website. I am a new beekeeper and I just got a hive(with bees) a week ago. It came with a deep and a medium super. I purchased another super with drawn comb at the same time that I picked up the hive. The beekeeper I purchased them from said he checked three frames in the medium before sealing the hive for me to pick it up. The were full of brood. Based on that, I added the super (with the frames of drawn comb) when I installed the hive on Sunday.
Today was the first day opening the hive and everything looked great (in my non experienced eyes). I did have two experienced beekeepers who walked me through the hive inspection. They started filling the newly added super with honey. The medium was indeed full of brood and had a nice pattern to it. I need to add another super and would like to go foundationless. I am not sure how to start or whether I can be fully successful doing it this year. I have been feeding them 1:1 syrup for the past week but will stop now. I hope to get to a point where I don't have to feed them again but I really wanted to get a good jump start this year.
I am hoping to get some honey this year and will only have one hive until next year, so I don't have a lot of room for error. Is it possible for me to go foundationless this year and still get honey? How would I do that? If not do I just do a few foundationless frames this year in preparation for next year?
I read that it is best to put the foundationless frames in between capped frames. Would I switch out some of my frames from the super that has honey and alternate? I would have to keep them marked since those frames were made when I was feeding them syrup? I searched the web hoping for a detailed plan but felt uncomfortable with what I found and my situation.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice that you can give.
Today was the first day opening the hive and everything looked great (in my non experienced eyes). I did have two experienced beekeepers who walked me through the hive inspection. They started filling the newly added super with honey. The medium was indeed full of brood and had a nice pattern to it. I need to add another super and would like to go foundationless. I am not sure how to start or whether I can be fully successful doing it this year. I have been feeding them 1:1 syrup for the past week but will stop now. I hope to get to a point where I don't have to feed them again but I really wanted to get a good jump start this year.
I am hoping to get some honey this year and will only have one hive until next year, so I don't have a lot of room for error. Is it possible for me to go foundationless this year and still get honey? How would I do that? If not do I just do a few foundationless frames this year in preparation for next year?
I read that it is best to put the foundationless frames in between capped frames. Would I switch out some of my frames from the super that has honey and alternate? I would have to keep them marked since those frames were made when I was feeding them syrup? I searched the web hoping for a detailed plan but felt uncomfortable with what I found and my situation.
Thanks in advance for any help/advice that you can give.