[wild-b]

I ran out of frames for my last deeps last night and I have one hive that I need to put one on. So can I get by with a deep hive body and 1 medium or should I use 2 mediums. If I keep putting on mediums will the queen keep going up?

 

[Chemguy]

Are you wondering about the best configuration for overwintering? Some folk use all mediums and no deeps. 3 mediums = 2 deeps. The queen will move up, at least to a point, no matter what size super you use. Others from your area will be able to relate what works for them.

This is my second year keeping bees. I overwintered using 2 deeps plus a medium and had mixed results, though it was a rather brutal winter. The spring flow really demonstrated to me just how heavy a deep full of honey can be, so I have been building up this year's splits with one deep and all mediums above. The queens are moving up into the mediums to lay, but do move down once space becomes available. I am not trying to get comb honey so the appearance of the frames is not important to me. My goal is to overwinter in 1 deep + 2 mediums, which is about the same as 2.5 deeps.

 

[Tenbears]

You can use any configuration you want to the bees do not care. 5 shallows would work.

Chemguy: your configuration is the equivalent of 2.33 deeps roughly. why not just go to all shallows and save yourself the hassle of two types of equipment 4 mediums would be the same as 1 deep and 2 mediums, and it all would be interchangeable.

 

[stajerc61]

10-4 to Tenbears. Give em whatever you have. If I were to start over I would use all one size. With one size any frame fits where you wish to place it.

 

[wild-b]

Thanks guys
I'm converting everything to all mediums, but have 3 hives with 2 deeps and then mediums I'll eventually give a perminate home.