[raosmun]

:scratch: I want to go from deep/medium set-ups to all mediums. The two biggest reasons are weight and not having to contend with different frame sizes. Cutting deeps down is not a problem. What I have not figured out is a good way to get established (bees, brood, honey,etc.) frames from deep to medium. Any suggestions??
Thanks in advance!

 

[Troy]

I too am contemplating the same thing for the same reasons. I have decided to just switch over as splits are made and new colonies are setup on mediums.

I'll cull out the deeps as I go.

Another possibility I was considering is to sell off the hives in the deeps and go with all mediums for the new ones. I'm just not sure if I can sell that many.

 

[Grid]

I'm looking to do the same thing. I will be splitting my two double deep hives, ending up with four single deeps. I'll put mediums on top as they need them, and once the queen is laying in two mediums above the deep, I will pull the deep out, shake/brush _ALL_ the bees from the deep into the mediums (now on the bottom board), put a queen excluder on and then put the deep on top. The queen should now be down below the excluder, and nurse bees will come up to tend the brood in the deep. Once the deep brood all emerge, I will add a medium under it, remove the excluder, and use the deep for honey, and remove it with a harvest.

I should then end up with 3-medium brood chambers, about the same height as two deeps. My bee-cozy's will fit nicely.

At least that is my plan. I am a second year beekeeper, so this may not be the right/best way to do it.

Cheers,
Grid.

 

[Michael Bush]

When trying to get from anything to anything (deeps to mediums large cell to small cell etc.) think in terms of taking out what you don't want and putting in what you want. Anytime you have an empty frame of what you don't want replace it with an empty frame of what you want. Of course you'll end up with some medium frames with some comb on the bottom, but it's easily cut off and tied in a frame. Meanwhile as soon as you have pulled a full box worth off you can replace it with what you want. Also, any comb with honey or pollen when there is a good flow on is expendable enough. Also you can do cutouts to get comb you want in the size frame you want. Also, if you get some brood for the queen to be with you can put the rest of the brood on the other side of an excluder and wait for the brood to emerge and then take that out...

 

[My-smokepole]

One more thought from the Wooster Ohio show. The one speaker was putting in a couple of med frame in large boxes with the hope of them putting drone cell there. Then cutting them off before they hatch for mite control.