Colony in brood box and super - likely to get bigger?

[sheena]

Hi,
My second year as a bee keeper but last year didn't get them until quite late. This colony over wintered well and were filling up the brood box so 3 weeks ago I added a super to give them more brood space. They seem to have pretty much filled up the super. Perhaps I should have waited and got another brood box for them, but I didn't. Are they likely to think about swarming given it is so early in the year and they are doing so well? They have nearly filled one super with honey (must be the gorse) so I've given them another one to get started on. ( I have a brood box then a super ( pretty much filled with brood and pollen) then the queen separator then two supers, one almost full of honey)
So basically I'm looking for advice. If they are doing so well so early in the year is it likely they will think about swarming? In that case should I think about splitting the hive and if so when? Did I make a foolish mistake by giving them a super as an extra brood box?
I didn't see any queen cells today.
I am not enjoying have the brood in separate boxes! More chance of damaging the queen!! I got at least one bee when I was putting the hive back together after inspection today ( though I try very hard not to), fingers crossed it wasn't she!
Anyway, advice appreciated!!

Second question.
My second colony was very very weak before winter but amazingly made it through and are building up slowly. They seem to be making lots of comb on the bottom of the brood frames. It doesn't look like queen cells, just ordinary bits of comb. They did this last year as well. Could this indicate the brood box is a bit skewy of size or why would they do this?

 

[oliver90owner]

Sheena,

I am not enjoying have the brood in separate boxes!

You have your bees on a brood and a half - a deep box and a shallow box - with two supers (shallows) at the moment.

The alternative to a brood and a half is the extra deep (14 x 12 or 'jumbo') box.

Even that may not be big enough for some colonies, especially if there is still stores on the frames. In that case you would then either choose to add another shallow temporarily for brood or perhaps go double brood (two deep boxes). Double brood is probably preferable to having two frame sizes to cope with.

I use 14 x 12s and let her upstairs if the brood is at all congested - better than losing swarms due to a congested brood box.

Could this indicate the brood box is a bit skewy of size

Could be too much space between the frames and the floor. Some bees will do this, others stick to within the frames.

You could improve your weaker colony by moving over a frame of emerging brood from the rampant colony? Done sensibly, it can increase your overall honey crop and delay the swarming risk in the strong colony.

Regards, RAB