How many hives?

[BKF Admin]

I found a post on the internet from one of our members that were 5 years old (the post not the member)!


He said at the time that he had 13 hives and found that was the number he was comfortable with managing part time.

I have also read a few times about beekeepers having 5 hives and getting more honey from them than a neighbour who has 15?

Is more really less?

 

[Finman]

I found a post on the internet from one of our members that were 5 years old (the post not the member)!


He said at the time that he had 13 hives and found that was the number he was comfortable with managing part time.

I have also read a few times about beekeepers having 5 hives and getting more honey from them than a neighbour who has 15?

Is more really less?

13-15 is a good number. I can inspect them during one day.

Another thing is that bigger number nees storehouses and money.
Mostly folks keep too many hives in one place. Pastures will be over grazed.


.
.

 

[BKF Admin]

Finman did you realise it was you I was writing about?

 

[Finman]

Finman did you realise it was you I was writing about?

No, I did not.

But this sentence I do not understand
"I have also read a few times about beekeepers having 5 hives and getting more honey from them than a neighbour who has 15?"

When I have hives in different sites, difference between sites is often 3-fold, even 5-fold.

But play the game with 5 hives , it is difficult. I tried under 10 hives but it was not reasonable.

I may have 5 hives. One will become sick and another escape with swarming. So I have 3 hives. It is almost an apiary.

.

 

[bobandbec]

I tried to manage 20+ colonies this year but found it was too many so started to cut back at the end of the season. The aim is for around 15 productive colonies next season, 5 or 6 on one site and 9 or 10 on the other where there is better forage. This all supposes the required number come through the Winter to start with of course (fingers crossed).

Also hoping to expand the queen breeding next season. We were given a number of Apidea minis by a retiring beek so could have 30+ on the go together with my own. Can't wait!

Peter

 

[Markbee]

At the end of the summer I was up to 10 hives, and that was enough for me.

I am now back down to 4, and fingers crossed over winter, I hope to build back upto 10. And then sell.

 

[BKF Admin]

Enzyme do you not think that 4 may be a little low if things go bad over winter? I would say 6 would be a safer bet,going upto 12 then back to 6 for the winter.

 

[Markbee]

We shall see!!!!

ALl I can say is I have done everything possible to maximise these hives.

And considering that at the start of this year I started with 3, from 4 at the end of last year.