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hive splits
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:18 am
by drewgrim
is it possible if you have a hive with two hive bodies to make it into 4 nucs or just 4 new hives? as long as you had a queen for each or i guess you could let them raise a queen. could you make it into more hives? just trying to get some ideas for spring.
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:12 am
by Wally
It depends on the contents of the two hive bodies. If you have a frame of brood and a frame of honey/pollen mixed, you can install a mated queen and have a successful nuc. It will have to be fed both sugar water and pollen substitute to assure survival.
That is considering you have good weather and a good honey flow, few, if any parasites and diseases, a strong laying queen, and other amenities.
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:56 am
by Kurt Bower
Most beekeepers expand their operations by doing the very thing you suggest.
It can be cost prohibitive to purchase bees, so most simply raise their own through splits.
Begin early and feed, feed, feed.