Buy 2 nucs or split?

[JonTheBee]

Hi, I have just brought 2 hives in the Thorne’s sale ready for next year.

I am now looking at preordering my bees for next year but was looking for some advice on the best way to do this.

Would it be best to buy 2 nuc or would I just be able to buy one and split them into the second hive at some point (potentially as swarm prevention)?

I will be using 14x12 brood boxes.

Thanks

 

[Speybee]

When I started out I bought my Nuc from the local beekeepers Association, which was much cheaper than Thornes.
If you are not a member of a local association but are going into beekeeping “solo” it can be challenging at this early stage.

If you are a member of an association with access to mentoring support and advice locally, if you are not in a hurry to increase the number of hives, you could order just one Nuc and later on in the season make increase.

If you require a quicker result, then your option of ordering 2 Nucs is worth considering.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Yes depends how quick you want increase... By one let it grow and split or buy two nucs... And split and split and split... That's how addiction starts

 

[JonTheBee]

Thanks.

I’m in no rush to expand but just wanted to make sure that both colonies will be strong enough to survive their first winter if they have been spit/started from a split partway through the year.

How long after installing the first nuc do you think I could split them into a second hive? What are the signs to look for that they are ready?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks.

I’m in no rush to expand but just wanted to make sure that both colonies will be strong enough to survive their first winter if they have been spit/started from a split partway through the year.

How long after installing the first nuc do you think I could split them into a second hive? What are the signs to look for that they are ready?

If they were mine I would wait for queen cells. Then you absolutely know they are ready. Are you ordering an over wintered nuc? If you are getting one later in the year with next years queen I wouldn’t try splitting. I started with two nucs. Better having two colonies straight away.

if you really are keen to split before they make swarm preps themselves then I would say if they are on 7 full frames of brood and ready to super you could split instead.

 

[Murox]

Whether you are going to buy one, two or even three overwintered nuns do it NOW (they sell out rapidly) or as soon as you can and from a reliable source - "not Jo Blogss down the road" .
Normally the first season of a new hive is spent getting all the foundation drawn out - that takes a lot of energy/nectar. I wouldn't consider trying to split even an ordinary BS national until there were at least 8 full frames of Brood ~not bees~ . How long has it taken your current bees to draw out a single deep 14X12 frame ?and did you feed them at all ?

 

[JonTheBee]

I have already ordered one overwintered nuc to make sure I don’t miss out but was unsure whether to preorder a second.

This will be my first time beekeeping so apart from the nuc frames the rest will be foundation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have already ordered one overwintered nuc to make sure I don’t miss out but was unsure whether to preorder a second.

This will be my first time beekeeping so apart from the nuc frames the rest will be foundation.

If it's an overwintered nuc then, (assuming it is a proper overwintered nuc) there's a good chance it will build up strongly by midsummer, then you may have the opportunity to make increase

 

[drdrday]

In my first year I just took the chance with one colony, basically because I didn't want to spend out on two nucs when who knew if something would go horribly wrong and it turned out beekeeping wasn't for me after all. Of course it's always best to have at least two colonies but if you're willing to take the risk of only one hive through winter then you can just wait til your second year when you'll no doubt end up with two colonies thanks to an AS. It also means you can gradually ease into the beekeeping with only one hive to worry about the first year. Two or three hives is a lot more to do than just one.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just remember - one strong healthy colony has a better chance of overwintering than two weak mediocre ones

 

[Curly green finger's]

Splitting a colony before swarm preps gives you more control good thinking @Erichalfbee .

To the op, I would go for two nucs as your using 14x12s or deap nationals,they are less likely to swarm as they have more space. As long as you keep an eye or two on them, and give them supers as they need them.
I love this saying. "read the bees"

You will also have two colonys which will grow/expand differently,
And you'll be able to compare in size and temperament.

 

[JonTheBee]

Thank you for all your advice.

I think I am going to get 2 nucs so I can (hopefully) have 2 larger/stronger colonies for my first year as well as being able to have a direct comparison between the 2 which I think will be useful in my first year.