I have sold a few in cardboard nuc boxes, I don't like them. I have found it easier to have the buyer bring his equipment and put the 5 frames of bees/brood/food in his boxes while he watches. If they want to make two trips they return later at evening time to pickup the nuc.

 

The waxed Mann Lake boxes are okay for a short trip. A little tape and an ice pick can be used for any improvements....

 

It depends. I know some bee producers that sell in cardboard nucs, and some that sell in 5 frame wood boxes. My favorite is the ones that sell a 5 frame nuc of bees in a 10 frame box. Usually they put 5 frames of brood and honey and 5 frames of foundation in the 10 frame box. These usually sell for $150.00 to $175.00. The 5 frame nucs, both cardboard and wood, usually sell for $125.00 to $150.00.

 

I sell mine in plywood nucs that I make myself. It makes me feel better about all the time I spend making boxes if I charger a higher price, then offer a deposit back if they return the box. For example, I charge $150.00 for the nuc with box, but offer a $25.00 refund if they return the box in good condition. That way, I get some of my boxes back (reducing the number that I need to build) or I get $25.00 for the time and materials I spent building it.

I don't like the idea of transferring the frames into their equipment because they would lose a lot of bees that way. I close the nucs up the night prior to customer pick-up so their bees aren't out foraging when they pick them up.

 

What's the wood cost on a nuc? Do you paint too? I have some Mann Lake nucs and I dislike the wood type (very hard when nailing) and fact there is a gap which causes the bees to build to wide to fill space. That being said might be because I use both plastic and wood frames? I'd rather pay to have pieces cut and then assemble myself but wirry I'll run into the same gap issue with another vendor.

 

I sell 50-100 nucs each spring, and I use plywood nuc boxes, the D Coates version. See the PDF plans here: http://www.beesource.com/files/5framenuc_coates.pdf I make them for about $5 per box (unpainted), and after painting, they are very nice boxes. I offer a $4 refund if they (the customer) bring the box back, so I have that many more for next spring.

 

Ditto, except I don't sell 50-100 each spring, and I don't offer a refund. Everyone needs a good nuc box whether they know it or not.

 

Members in our club usually drive the nuc over and install it at final location as part of the service. If you want to sell a nuc in a box, I would get the white corrugated plastic ex nuc and adjust price according. They range from 8-$12 depending on qty plus shipping. I have wooden 5-6 nuc boxes for myself I wouldn't sell those unless they wanted to pay an additional $30-40.

 

Does anyone sell nine frame nucs in a ten frame deep in the States?

I had a choice of purchasing a 5 frame nuc or a 9 frame nuc.
I went for two 9 frame nucs this spring. They were full frames of sealed and open brood, pollen and sealed honey, NO empty frames. Any one else do this? The deep they came In, one of them I used for a new hive, just took off the bottom plywood and it was ready to go. The second one I left as is and used it when I picked up a new queen from the breeder and three frames of brood from the same nuc the queen came from.

Glen

 

Does anyone sell nine frame nucs in a ten frame deep in the States? I had a choice of purchasing a 5 frame nuc or a 9 frame nuc.

Not around me, but im sure people do. What is the equalivant cost for 5,9 frame nucs in $USD?

If In early spring i would get a 5 frame. If later or if I really wanted a chance to harvest honey or make a split I may throw down some extra cash for 9 frames.

 

I sell a small number of nucs to locals every year. I have them bring their 10 frame box & 5 frames so we can put the frames in their box together.
Then I screen the entrance & they take them home. Being small time its nice to do it that way, & spend an hour or so with them.

 

I like to sell mine in the cardboard nuc boxes, do not want to mess with returns, deposits, etc. I add $5.00 to the price. Like someone said they make good swarm catchers, etc. It is hard to feed in one of them if you need to. Mine only stay in them 2-3 weeks. You can get them from Mann Lake or Brushy Mountain, there is a design difference in them. The corrugated plastic boxes are more durable but have a little higher cost. The wooden nucs do offer more options, but are they worth the extra cost, only you and your clients can answer that.

 

I have avoided selling nucs of my own stocks in the past, instead acting as middleman for club nuc orders. I much prefer the new non-wood boxes. The nuc provider we used this last year has designed his own box which is super sturdy, has lots of ventilation, is easy to screen, has interior space above the frames for feeding pollen, etc. The buyer keeps the box. Especially living several hours away from the nuc provider dealing with deposits and returns of nuc boxes was awful.

From what I can see most nuc builders are rasing nucs in their own equipment and then transferring them to a commercially available boxes prior to customer delivery. Inspections of nucs by the buyers is almost never done in this area - buyers show up at sunset when the bees are done flying for the day. (or if they are getting a nuc that I've handled, I screened them in at dawn after letting them fly)

 

Buy some Jester nucs and you'll never go back to wood or cardboard. Work great, cheap and the bees don't chew them. Hold up to use for more than one year.

 

I put them in their box... or if they forget, I put them in a cardboard nuc box and charge them for the box.

 

I purchased a nuc this spring and it was in an 8 frame med box, which is what I planned on using. It was probably a little more expensive than buying one in a cardboard nuc, but when I got home all I had to do was set it on the stand and add a box of frames. As a newbee that was very nice way for me to start.

 

I like things that are multi purpose. Has anyone tried the plastic nuc boxes for swarm traps? I wonder if the inside would be dark enough. The light weight would be great.

 

From the point of view of a buyer and user, the D. Coates plywood nucs are vastly superior to the cardboard nuc boxes. I bought a couple nucs in the latter this spring, and they weren't good for much except getting the bees home. If you fit the Coates nucs with one of the Walter Kelley discs, you have a great nuc. I caught a swarm in one of those I built, and getting it out of the tree was dead simple. All I had to do was sneak up on them at dusk with a screwdriver and a strap.

 

Isn't the point to just get them home and in your own boxes?

 

The coates boxes are nice. I have 4 "6 frame" coates, we'll call them the "burns modified coates", there is enough material in a 4x8 sheet..... but not everyone has the time, skill or tools to produce wooden boxes. The plastic ez nucs are cheap, relatively sturdy and require all but 5 minutes to assemble without tools. Also very light, nice for hanging in trees for traps or literally throwing in the car for swarm calls etc.

Everything has its pros and cons. Its not economical to make the coates box for each sale of nucs unless the buyer pays a premium for it.