[ccar2000]

What is the deal with some of us using nine frames in the brood box?
My reason for asking is that I am a greenhorn here and my first hives did not survive the first year. With that being said I am using already drawn out frames from my last year dead outs for my new packages. I am concerned that if the comb is drawn out unevenly and the frames are no longer in their original orientations that I could be creating a "crush zone" when butting the frames up against each other, creating a greater issue. Maybe I should be using nine frames in the brood box?
I would like to better understand the reasoning behind using nine frames vs. ten.
Thanks

 

[alpha6]

Ten frames fully drawn out are difficult to pull out with out rolling some bees which could include your queen. The best way to run nine frames is to push them towards the center and only allow the space between them to be with the edges of the frames touching. This gives you the right bee space and allows them to pull out the comb correctly. The gaps should be on the end frames and the brood box which can be easily scraped. If you place an already drawn out frame on the ends you usually don't even get that. Always have your frames tight against each other...always.