Wow, that's an impressive set-up! Thanks for the photos! I'm a newbee...so I will watch to see how your question gets answered!!! But, my common sense voice tells me your houses need bigger doors!!! 
Even if they are painted different colors? I thought I read somewhere that if the hives are easily distinguished from one another you are okay... I ask because I have a yard that (as I expand) I will have to put them more or less in a line - it is a long but narrow space....Might be time indeed.
You have a nice bee yard, but I would break up that long line of hives -- bees can't count past three, so they get lost trying to find home in a line of hives and end up begging in at the end hives.
Peter
It's basically a modified version of a Migratory cover. I had warped plywood and needed to pull it out straight. They work quite well and it gives me a lifted area to put the feeder below it on when i pop the tops off. All the bees stay up off the ground that way in case the queen happens to be on the feeder. I use feeders that were designed by Don the fat beeman down in GA. Work like a charm. As for the bees finding their way home.. They have NO problems at all.. It's a proven fact that the bees can tell diff colors apart. So when they come out and orient to their homes, they come back to the same one. I've tested with powdered sugar just to make sure. They always come back home where they belong. I'm not saying there's not a stray one here and there, but from what i've seen it is making NO diff at this point. They are all just like the ones shown in the first pic.Very cool! Tell us about the hive cover design in the first pic, I haven't seen it before.
Cheers!
Don't worry, put them in a line, just paint each of the bottom brood boxes a diff color that can be told easily apart. Bees can see color just fine.Even if they are painted different colors? I thought I read somewhere that if the hives are easily distinguished from one another you are okay... I ask because I have a yard that (as I expand) I will have to put them more or less in a line - it is a long but narrow space....
1. Remove the reducers. If for no other reason, It'll sure help them when drying nectar.Don't worry, put them in a line, just paint each of the bottom brood boxes a diff color that can be told easily apart. Bees can see color just fine.
Thank you! Soon to have another 10 hives in about 6 more weeks added to the fold.That's a good looking apiary.
Ahhh, Washington County ... I recall many summers at Meddybemps. Yeah, I'll bet you have a few cold mornings to go yet, and then you get the dread blackflies.Opening entrances depends on local conditions. We froze here last night. 30F when I got up. I won't be removing entrance reducers here for another month. I've gone to the mid position for populous colonies that seemed to want the extra space.
They are here - AND they are smaller than the mesh of veils. Blueberry bloom has started locally - maybe 20%.then you get the dread blackflies.