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OTS Queen Rearing

11K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  djei5 
#1 ·
Well, i attempted my first OTS queen rearing method for some late summer splits. OF the 14 hives i made up only one did not have a laying queen when I checked this afternoon. Now to feed, feed, feed to build for winter.
 
#3 ·
No. I usually have bought queens in the past but my partner has not wanted to spend money the last couple years so our bees did not do so hot this year as they were mostly 3 year old queens except for the few that swarmed last year. We run about 35 hives and I decided to split the business because we did not see eye to eye.........(F.I.L)............so anyway I only took 5 of the hives I had at my farm and pulled all the honey first of july and did the OTS splits 2nd week of july. Looked tonight and like I said only one did not re-queen. My goal is to attempt some early splits next year, buy some packages, and build to 50 hives by next fall..........ambitious? Probably..........but I have a set goal to build this business into a nice operation and finally live my dream........my wife got to chase hers and get her masters degree...........and after next year i get to chase mine and build a thriving honey operation.
 
#4 ·
Flewster, Long time no hear from you. Glad to hear the OTS method worked for you, in the process of feed,feed & feed don't forget
to use honey preferably creamed on a plate up top. Sugar won't strengthen them as well as good ol' honey. pm or email me before
you buy packages I'm doing quite a few splits next spring.
 
#6 ·
Thanks Tom...........I must say they are the fattest and best looking queens I could ask for......cant wait to see how the brood pattern looks after they start to build up some.......I have some old honey saved back just for this but unfortunately not enough so some sugar water will have to be fed to build them..........I just might be looking you up then next year when it comes to the nucs you might have for sale......your not too far from where I want to put them after i get them.....

How is your honey stick machine doing?

Wayne
 
#7 ·
well, they are building up real nice.....the brood patterns are the best i have seen in a long time in my hives.....some of the stronger ones have 4 to 5 frames of wall to wall brood already.....i was skeptical at first but am a believer now......mite counts are very low and the big fat healthy queens look awesome lumbering around the combs.
 
#9 ·
I've been using the OTS method for 3 years now. If I am making splits to avoid swarming OTS is my prefered method and given me great results. The only downside is it is difficult to rear alot of queens which is where grafting is better. This year I made about 20 OTS splits in the spring and then in early summer grafted enough to make 100 queens to requeen my big hives and prepare 40 nucs for winter.
 
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