[DCook]

I am getting my nuc next week. I will have a deep, 8 frame brood and on top a medium brood. Should I go ahead and add another medium on top of those now, wait for the first medium to fill or what?

 

[habutti]

I would wait for at least 4 frames to be drawn out of the first 8 frame medium before adding another box. However I would feed the moment I get them.

 

[Konrad]

Not sure why you have 8 frames in a deep, here we have 10, wait with adding, you should see the box about 3/4 full.

 

[fish_stix]

He has 8 frames because many beeks, including me, run 8 frame equipment. Lot easier on the back!

 

[NasalSponge]

You should hive your nuc in one box only and let them draw 80% of that before adding a second and so on. Of course if you bought a 5 frame nuc then you could add the med right away.

 

[DCook]

I am getting a 5 frame nuc to put in an 8 frame deep.

 

[StevenG]

Are you planning to run two 8-frame deeps as your brood nest, or just one? You might have better luck, long term, with two 8 frame deeps for your brood nest. Watch them though, and feed them until they have drawn all the comb for the brood nest. You want to stay ahead of them by adding boxes and frames, to keep them from swarming or absconding.

 

[DCook]

I was planning to run one deep, 8 frame and one medium 8 frame for brood. Should that be enough brood space? I was then planning to add medium supers.

 

[ccar2000]

DCook,
Do you know what other beeks in your area are running for brood/honey box combinations? I hear Georgia grows some pretty strong colonies. I have also seen where other beeks run four 8-frame medium boxes for brood and honey. Michael Bush is a strong proponent of 8-frame equipment and has a very good website. You can start with this link http://www.bushfarms.com/beeseightframemedium.htm
My opinion may just be speculation and hot air. You have already received a lot of good advice on your thread here

 

[StevenG]

Based on how full my two story 10-frame deeps get with bees, I'd think you'd need at least 2 8-frame deeps to have enough space for a healthy queen to lay, and provide enough bees to generate a good honey crop. More bees = more honey.
Regards,
Steven

 

[Michael Bush]

I find having different size frames to be a great disadvantage to managment. All the same size frame is much easier. I find eight frame mediums to be much easier to handle (weight) and have all the same size frames (mediums) in the same size boxes (eight frame) and they are a weight I can handle. If I were to go with something else, it would probably be eight frame deeps, or ten frame mediums. But I'd still go with all the same size frame.

 

[fish_stix]

DCook; a deep and a medium brood chambers will work just fine. But, let them get the deep almost filled out before adding your medium. If they get crowded you can always add another medium brood chamber. I currently have several hives with 2 deeps and a medium for brood and medium supers stacked on top of those. Sometimes you have to use what's available at the time. If that's all the boxes you have you need to get busy and build some more! Nucs many times outrun the available space if they have a good flow!