Best way to get third bee colony up and running

[OrangeTango]

Hi all,

I have recently taken up beekeeping and received my first NUCs (2) last weekend. Each NUC consisted of 5 frames which I placed into two BN hives. After just one week, it seems like the bees are settling in nicely.

I currently have a third BN hive available and I'm considering whether I should split one of the existing hives once they've grown a bit this summer or if I could borrow some brood frames from both and place them in the new hive along with a new queen?

I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on whether it's advisable to start a third hive at this point in the season and, if so, the best way to approach it.

Thank you

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

wait until they want to swarm - you'll need that spare hive then to do a Pagden

 

[pargyle]

Hi all,

I have recently taken up beekeeping and received my first NUCs (2) last weekend. Each NUC consisted of 5 frames which I placed into two BN hives. After just one week, it seems like the bees are settling in nicely.

I currently have a third BN hive available and I'm considering whether I should split one of the existing hives once they've grown a bit this summer or if I could borrow some brood frames from both and place them in the new hive along with a new queen?

I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on whether it's advisable to start a third hive at this point in the season and, if so, the best way to approach it.

Thank you

Once the colonies are well established - you really need to let them grow to a good size - you can take a frame or two from each colony and buy in a queen and start them off in a nuc, they won't be nuc size very long and will need to go into a full size box.

If you want the fun route do a walk away split - take a frame with new eggs in and some emerging brood and a frame of stores and enough bees to look after the brood and pop them into a dummied down nuc. Then let them get on and make a new queen themselves. It's probably safer and more productive to buy in a mated and reliable queen but ... whatever you do it's all part of the beekeeping journey and a learning curve.