Hiving a Nuc - Too late?

[its.only.money]

Hi
I have a Nuc, started in July, that was started from a purchased queen and some bees shaken from another hive. My own fault in that I probably didn't take enough bees initially so it was slow to build up.
However, in a 5 frame nuc, I now have 3 good frames of bees with plenty of BIAS. The other two frames are half drawn and have a little stores.

My question is... do I keep them in the nuc, feed hard so that they have plenty of stores, and attempt to overwinter in the nuc. Or do I move to an empty brood box? My thoughts are with option 1, however, I haven't overwintered a colony in a nuc before hence my hesitancy.

Suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[SDM]

They stay in a nuc and feed.
Not because it's too late to hive a really strong nuc, but because they're not yet a really strong nuc.
If there were bees on all frames putting wax in any crevice with 4 or more good frames of brood id hive them.
Yours sound as if they'll be up to ideal strength in time for winter with the box they're in.

 

[Ian123]

With out seeing bees in the box it’s hard to say but as you suggest the 2 outside frames are only partly used then i suggest there’s not enough there to warrant a brood box yet although you could later dummy down a brood and with some decent weather and feed you could expect them to do well enough to warrant a extra frame or so for stores. I would suggest you get treatments in and some feed on so they at least get outside frames filled/complete. Also no problems in wintering in a nuc you will however need to be proactive in monitoring weight

 

[madasafish]

I have just sold a 5 frame Lang jumbo nuc to a beginner . He has hived it in an 8 frame hive and feeding it like crazy: they are drawing comb.

BUT: the nuc was stuffed to bursting with bees.
There were 4 frames of capped brood and Brood in all stages.
It is housed in a sheltered garden with in a built up area so partially insulated from cold weather.
He has added insulated dummy boards (I gave him them)

Unless your nuc has 5 frames of bees and at least 3 frames of brood, it is unlikely to do well in the wider volume of a 10 frame hive. You could reduce the size down using dummy boards made from insulation board and remove them one by one as the hive expands.. (I successfully helped a lady last year in October do that and the hive survived despite being very weak.)

BUT it's a gamble and you need to know what you are doing##. Far less of a gamble is to leave in nuc and hive them in Spring.. (which is what I would do).

## I sometimes wonder if I do..