Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

Palmer winter weight for production colonies

2K views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  nediver 
#1 ·
I have my Nuc weight down pretty well to overwinter in zone 5, but for my production colonies I run some triples and doubles, but I was wondering michael if you could tell me your target weight for your double with a medium weight, and also your triple deep over winter weight. Also, I know when they are light you feed syrup in gal cans, can you shed some light on how you make a mass amount of syrup and the most time efffiecent way to to fill the cans? Are you using a syrup pump/ slash holding tank? How do you cook up the much sugar a water jacketed tank and heat it up then pump into a tank? This may should be in the commercial form but oh well. I have not been weighing my hives just over feeding and now I'm to the point as you mention in videos with so many colonies I need to weigh every hive and have a target weight to feed. Thanks in advance. We have the about the same weather pattern and seasons compared to you, that's why I ask
 
#3 ·
What do you mean by "large" syrup batches? I make about 6 gallons at a time in my turkey cooker on the stove. If you're talking more than that, there have been comments in other threads where people use trolling motors in the giant plastic bins and even recirculating pumps in barrels and bins.
 
#10 ·
Thanks mike! Looks like I may need a big mixing tank or build one. Nediver I can give you the weights for what I use for nucs and what I found in old threads for production. These weights are for BB, # of boxes, and inner cover, bees+honey
5x5 Nuc - 75-79# my weight
5x5x5 Nuc - 110-115# my weight
Double deep- 140-160# Palmer weight (old thread)
Double deep + med - 155-160# Palmer weight
Triple deep - 170-185# guesstimate
I winter all my Italian type fam backgrounds in triples. 2 bottoms boxes couple frames of honey, top box full. you wil have to make these weights work for your climate. I am a very very small operation, but my nucs and production seem to over winter well, following a Palmer/ Webster type setup. as you can tell I use 5 fr boxes Palmer/ Webster use 4fr divided boxes. I had a ton of 5 frame Nuc boxes and that's what I started using and never looked back. I keep track of how I winter box type, configuration, and weight. If they survive I repeat that in larger size following year.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top