I have a nuc consisting of 2 mediums and one deep that I would like to put into a 10 frame medium hive (all mediums). BUT the deep has 3 frames full on both sides of solid brood that I don’t want to loose or cut out and put into mediums.
WHAT IF – I put the 10 mediums into a 10 frame box and put a piece of plywood over the medium with a cut out for the deep to set on. I can make sure the queen is in the mediums and put a queen excluder under the deep and over the hole in the plywood. When all the brood is hatched remove the deep.
I would put the 5 deeps in a 10 frame box with 5 empties, then put the excluder under it.
In 3 weeks, I would put an inner lid under the deep. That will cause them to move the honey down if they have room in the medium to do it. If not, add a medium.