[Rob73]

I am about ready to add my second hive body to two of my packages. I have traditionally used one deep and one medium, then mediums for supers. I talked to a local beek last week and he suggested that I use two deeps. For a little background, I use a deep and a medium because thats what they suggested in the bee school that I attended the first three years that I started.

So, I thought I would try the double deep on these two packages that I started this year. I have had hives that over wintered here at my place with a deep and two mediums. They are strong hives and I just inspect them, powder sugar them three or so times a year & feed them through the winter. So, I am under the impression that overwintering in two deeps should not be detrimental to the new colonies.

I welcome any thoughts on this too, but I have another bigger question. Is it a bad thing to add the second hive body under the first one, between it and the sbb? Or is just throwing it on top the best way to go? I have never put it on the bottom, so I was kind of curious if that was a bad idea?

Also, I have never used upper entrances before. I did have one hive with a broken box joint up by the top of the box and they used it for about 4 months and glued it over. It was on the back side of the hive body opposite of the bottom entrance. I have also put some screen wire under my sugar syrup jars before and they glue them over too. I am not sure if it has anything to do with the climate here in western KY or what. Maybe with a 3/8" or 1/2" entrance they wont close it up. I am going to build a couple migratory covers and shim them up & see how it goes. Wish me luck

Rob

 

[tomkat]

Some older beeks, like myself use all mediums. They are liter so easier to handle. Right now I am using two seeps only because that's what I had ready.

 

[burns375]

I like to run double deeps with medium honey supers. You'll need 2 deeps worth for brood, the bees space, to have enough bees to be a good honey producer. I put empty boxes ontop. Generally I move a drawn frame or 2 up into the new box when added.

I've also run 1 deep with all mediums ontop, all mediums, etc. 1 deep and 1 medium is not much of a honey producer unless its all brood no stores, but they will winter just fine if they have enough weight. What I find is hive inspections take longer with all mediums. I prefer inspecting deep frames, the weight of honey in a full deep box is the negative.

If you don't mind paying a bit extra, spending a bit more time on inspections and having extra equipment...then use all mediums, its the best option.

For reference 3 mediums = 2 deeps

 

[Acebird]

Rob, there are any number of combinations you can use for a beehive even a hollowed out tree.
Bees adapt to what ever you give them. Now can you adapt to what you gave them?

 

[zhiv9]

On top - they prefer to work up using the heat rising off the cluster/brood nest to help work the wax.

 

[Tim KS]

I like to run double deeps with medium honey supers. You'll need 2 deeps worth for brood, the bees space, to have enough bees to be a good honey producer. I put empty boxes ontop. Generally I move a drawn frame or 2 up into the new box when added.

I've also run 1 deep with all mediums ontop, all mediums, etc. 1 deep and 1 medium is not much of a honey producer unless its all brood no stores, but they will winter just fine if they have enough weight. What I find is hive inspections take longer with all mediums. I prefer inspecting deep frames, the weight of honey in a full deep box is the negative.

If you don't mind paying a bit extra, spending a bit more time on inspections and having extra equipment...then use all mediums, its the best option.

For reference 3 mediums = 2 deeps

burns, if you use two deeps as brood chamber and mediums for honey, how can you move a deep drawn frame up into a medium super? ...or am I not understanding you correctly?

 

[bjtmjc]

In southern California, my double deep hives were difficult to manage - they get really strong. I am trying a single deep with a medium on 2 hives. So far so good.

We have intermittent flows all year long here, so a strong colony going into winter is not necessary. I usually pull a super of what is probably rosemary honey between Thanksgiving and New Years.

My thought is that location and climate is key.

 

[Rob73]

bjtmjc, do you have trouble with colonies dying off? It doesnt sound like they have to "over winter". That seems to be one of the most common times for a hive to dwindle away from starvation or other health issues. In a climate like yours, do you have that kind of problem too?


Rob

 

[Dunkel]

Rob, here in the eastern part I rather run two deeps. I have found for me that they make more honey in that configuration. The deep mediums make about the same most of the time, but the odds of a boomer or three always happens with a two deep setup. Those queens that really lay and hives that come through in good shape seem to really take off.

 

[Tim KS]

Rob, here in the eastern part I rather run two deeps. I have found for me that they make more honey in that configuration. The deep mediums make about the same most of the time, but the odds of a boomer or three always happens with a two deep setup. Those queens that really lay and hives that come through in good shape seem to really take off.

What is a deep medium?

 

[Dunkel]

Meant deep and medium brood area

 

[rweaver7777]

I'm in TN and am switching to overwinter in 3 mediums. Have had 2 deeps. Still have one double-deep but will convert it this year to the 3 medium.

Benefit is that all my equipment will be the same size.

 

[Acebird]

For you first year with all mediums try to go with four. You probably can do three in TN but I would shoot for four the first time around.