Dale
No need to feel stupid. I raised bees in N.H. for about 10 years quite some time ago and the weather can be trying. Next time you order any nucs ask the person selling them if they would use medium frames instead of deeps. If I were you I would purchase a couple of standard deep brood boxes and 10 more deep frames of foundation. Use the two deeps to establish your nucs and then if you wish you can phase them out of your setup as your bees expand. You can also move the standard deep frames above a queen excluder (in a deep box) later in the season, and let the bees store honey in them. You don't have to pick up the entire deep box to remove the honey. Take one frame at a time and brush off the bees. You can also use the deeps for swarm boxes next year if you don't want them in your day to day operation. There are some who might advise cutting this down or cutting that down to fit. In my experience there is nothing more frustrating to a new beekeeper than trying to alter equipment to correct a problem. Put your efforts into best management practices. You cannot work the deep frames into the mediums without complications.
No need to feel stupid. I raised bees in N.H. for about 10 years quite some time ago and the weather can be trying. Next time you order any nucs ask the person selling them if they would use medium frames instead of deeps. If I were you I would purchase a couple of standard deep brood boxes and 10 more deep frames of foundation. Use the two deeps to establish your nucs and then if you wish you can phase them out of your setup as your bees expand. You can also move the standard deep frames above a queen excluder (in a deep box) later in the season, and let the bees store honey in them. You don't have to pick up the entire deep box to remove the honey. Take one frame at a time and brush off the bees. You can also use the deeps for swarm boxes next year if you don't want them in your day to day operation. There are some who might advise cutting this down or cutting that down to fit. In my experience there is nothing more frustrating to a new beekeeper than trying to alter equipment to correct a problem. Put your efforts into best management practices. You cannot work the deep frames into the mediums without complications.
