NUC - Which one

[SteveG]

Hi All,

About to purchase couple of Nuc in the sales.
Looking at Payne or Maisemore. recommendations??
Thanks

 

[REDWOOD]

I use Maisemore, they come in standard and 14x12 versions. The feeders are great too. So good they have ended my days of building wooden ones.

 

[Hachi]

I use Maisemore, they come in standard and 14x12 versions. The feeders are great too. So good they have ended my days of building wooden ones.

Maise's all the way

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

same here - Maisies every time (and I mean every time I pass their sales stand )

 

[For want of a better word]

My vote goes to Paynes... even tho they have brought in an eke to accommodate the ridiculous 14x12 frames and made a top feeder box to imitate the Maisie one ( Not easy for inspection as syrup spills everywhere!) The travel screen by Paynes is a useful addition.

Nos da

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have two Paynes but the feeder is useless because after having used it once the bees stay in it and replenishing the feed tends to drown the bees unless the feed is fed in a stupidy slow rate, I have given up on the feeder and use a rapid feeder inside an extra (I already have one on because I have 14 x 12's) eke.

I would try Maisemores but both types are missing the ability to put in a dummy board without losing a frame so inspections are difficult until the first frame is out...then at the end you have to try to get it back in again without rolling bees.

If there was another choice apart from Maisemores and Paynes I'd probably take it even to the extent of not using nuc boxes at all but modifying full 14 x 12 hives to take fewer frames.

 

[Hachi]

SSU best make your own then to your own specs. simple enough job

 

[For want of a better word]

I have two Paynes but the feeder is useless because after having used it once the bees stay in it and replenishing the feed tends to drown the bees unless the feed is fed in a stupidy slow rate, I have given up on the feeder and use a rapid feeder inside an extra (I already have one on because I have 14 x 12's) eke.

I would try Maisemores but both types are missing the ability to put in a dummy board without losing a frame so inspections are difficult until the first frame is out...then at the end you have to try to get it back in again without rolling bees.

If there was another choice apart from Maisemores and Paynes I'd probably take it even to the extent of not using nuc boxes at all but modifying full 14 x 12 hives to take fewer frames.

If you are not going to use the built in feeder you could take a knife to the box to accommodate a thick dummy board.
The feeder can be filled with wood chip/pellets that seems to prevent the bees from smothering them selves in syrup.. seen this done with the Keiler feeders... I have added a few extra sticks that seems to solve the problem.

If the nuc is so crammed with bees and brood to make it difficult to remove the frames, possibly it would be time to move them into something bigger.. like a hive?

Mytten da

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I have maisemore and park. I prefer the park which will cover all bases nat/14x12/lang and comes ready painted, no issue with dummy board as they come with castellated spacers, I had to get the maisey ones couple of weeks ago as park had no stock. The new BS bees poly nuc is worth a look as two colony's can be housed in one box but no 14x12 available yet.

 

[Anduril]

The new BS bees poly nuc is worth a look as two colony's can be housed in one box but no 14x12 available yet.

Looks interesting, had a look at the you tube videos, not sure about the hole in the feeder, but if it is being put to commercial use then it looks promising.

 

[user 15607]

I have maisemore and park. I prefer the park which will cover all bases nat/14x12/lang and comes ready painted, no issue with dummy board as they come with castellated spacers, I had to get the maisey ones couple of weeks ago as park had no stock. The new BS bees poly nuc is worth a look as two colony's can be housed in one box but no 14x12 available yet.

Bee equipment also sell the poly nucs that Park do


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[Angry_Mob]

From what I've seen the Maisemore looks hard to beat for the money and my association uses them as well.

I did see the BS bees Tanker John mentioned which do look good.

 

[Wingy]

SSU best make your own then to your own specs. simple enough job

+1 think about what you want from your nuc, a quick sketch plan and a bit of DIY. That way you don't have to compromise

 

[kevrhcfag]

As with most things in beekeeping it depends on your personal preference on how you prefer to work and what use you are going to put them to.

Both have issues, use both but my personal preference is for the Paynes.

Good points on both.

Stackable brood,
14 x 12 eke
Top Feeder

Paynes

Integral Feeder is can be an issue, it can be taken out to make 8 or 7 frame nuc.
Roof too shallow, too cold.
Can be awkward to treat if using vaporiser.

Maisemore
Roof too shallow
Feeder bees can drown
Lip for frame rest delicate, I find better remove and put pvc angel on, also removes the squashing of bees issue when putting roof on.
If just want to put eke on with slab of fondant, it wont sit flat on top of frames without removing joint. (Its there so no gap when using it as 14 x12)
Treatment same as above.
Entrance can be awkward to fit Queen excluder as at bottom traditional wheel doesn't fit.


BS one does look interesting but I wont be trying it as doesn't suit the way I personally like to do things. Looking at the price including feeder and the thicker roof as a nuc it looks good price wise to the rest.

Both do a job, both winter bees well with a bit of manipulation.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Paynes
Chop the feeder out and you have 7 frames with a dummy
Maisemore
Make your own crown board with a bee space rim and use it rim down.
Add a deeper PIR roof and you're sorted
I have both.
Feeders are 2 litre rapids put in an eke on top of the crown boards

 

[domino]

I use Paynes, I agree the feeder is rubbish for liquid- however - I stuff it full of fondant in the autumn and it works a treat.

I like the wider base as it makes them, in my mind anyway, less like to full over when I put the brood extensions on.

 

[mbc]

I have lots of both and they're both very good, it took me a while to try the Maisie's offering as when I first handled it at the wbka convention I thought the lack of a top bee space under the feeder would be a major issue, after reading people's experience of it here and elsewhere I decided to give them a go and I've found its a great bit of kit in use, ready to go out of the box which is one up on the paynes.

 

[ShinySideUp]

If you are not going to use the built in feeder you could take a knife to the box to accommodate a thick dummy board.
The feeder can be filled with wood chip/pellets that seems to prevent the bees from smothering them selves in syrup.. seen this done with the Keiler feeders... I have added a few extra sticks that seems to solve the problem.

If the nuc is so crammed with bees and brood to make it difficult to remove the frames, possibly it would be time to move them into something bigger.. like a hive?

Mytten da

The bees in the nuc are from last year's queen in another hive and were a split earlier in the year. They are not much good at feeding themselves but they certainly can breed. I am feeding them into winter in the expectation that, being a new beekeeper, I might well lose a colony over the cold season and as such will have a spare hive that these (if they survive) can move in to. If all survive then I will decide in the SPring what I'm going to do.

Also, it's not a problem with the bees drowning in general in the feeder but during the refilling as they just don't move up out of the way as the feeder refills.

I use Paynes, I agree the feeder is rubbish for liquid- however - I stuff it full of fondant in the autumn and it works a treat.

I like the wider base as it makes them, in my mind anyway, less like to full over when I put the brood extensions on.

That's a good idea although I wonder if it gets cold whether they will go and get the fondant as it will be cold in the feeder compared with fondant placed on top of the frames. I wouldn't want the bees to starve to death within a few centimetres of everything they need to stay alive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Paynes -
bees drown easily in the feeder. plastic crown board a faff.thin roofs

Maisemores -
never had a problem with the 'shallow' roof never overly propolised or brace combed, not even after a winter without removing.
Beespace under roof not an issue, just take normal amount of care putting roof back
Stackable broods
Eke works fine
never seen a bee drown in the feeders.
Entrance wheel works fine but the earlier wheels had faulty QX setting.
never had a problem with the built in frame runner lips, can't see why one should if hive tool used properly.

 

[REDWOOD]

Agree never had any issues


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