Old Castle Farm Hives 6 Frame Dual Poly Nuc

[Matty Brown]

Has anybody tried the new old castle farm hives 6 frame dual poly nuc?

It is available at a very good price of only £45
Only seen it yesterday, seems to be a copy of the BS honeybees poly nuc. Does anybody know if it is compatible with maismore poly nuc parts?

https://www.oldcastlefarmhives.com/product/6-frame-dual-poly-nuc/?v=25400724d737

 

[Wilco]

Looks interesting. Shame they didn't put a second feeder hole so if people are overwintering 3 frame nucs, both can have fondant separately. Think it would be possible based on the way they've put the feeders.

 

[Swarm]

Price is £54.99

 

[Matty Brown]

Price is £54.99

Where do you see the price being £54.99, I click on the link, and I see the price being £45.83.

Perhaps that is without vat.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Price is £54.99

Add an £8.75 delivery charge: £63.74.

 

[Matty Brown]

Add an £8.75 delivery charge: £63.74.

Still cheaper then the BS honey bees one.

 

[Swarm]

Where do you see the price being £54.99, I click on the link, and I see the price being £45.83.

Perhaps that is without vat.

It's on the link you provided, right next to the photo and below 6 frame dual poly nuc.
Price is also confirmed in the advertising description window below, new for 2024 etc, etc.

 

[Matty Brown]

It's on the link you provided, right next to the photo and below 6 frame dual poly nuc.
Price is also confirmed in the advertising description window below, new for 2024 etc, etc.

 

[Matty Brown]

Sorry I think they have a cheaper price for customers buying from Ireland, as those customers have to pay higher shipping and customs costs. I see in the advertising description that the price is £54.99.

Modern beekeeping also have cheaper prices for customers buying from Ireland.

 

[TonyH100]

Has anybody tried the new old castle farm hives 6 frame dual poly nuc?

It is available at a very good price of only £45
Only seen it yesterday, seems to be a copy of the BS honeybees poly nuc. Does anybody know if it is compatible with maismore poly nuc parts?

https://www.oldcastlefarmhives.com/product/6-frame-dual-poly-nuc/?v=25400724d737

Hi yeah I’ve been using them for three years love them and the Maisemores fit. You can make them into double broods.

 

[Paulypaul]

Great to see some competition in this product space.

I'd also like to see an alternative to the Maisemore deep extension, which I think goes for over £40. It's the only deep extension compatible with the BS 3-in-1 and the Maisemore poly nucs. Maisemore currently have a monopoly on that product.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Still cheaper then the BS honey bees one.

Maybe OCFH are running it as a loss-leader for a while, under-cutting the competition to establish a market presence.

The body of the BS, OCFH and Maisemore are almost identical and I reckon they're made in the same factory with mould alterations. I have a dream that one day those three will get together and agree a common design to give complete compatibility: for example, current lid recesses on MM & OCFH are square (not necessairly the same square) and round on the BS, so stacked boxes won't interlock if designs are mixed.

In practice the conversion of a used 6f box to one with 3f x 2 just doesn't work because propolis, wax and debris will have blocked the grooves. Far better to retail a plain 6f box without grooves, and a twinstock made for the purpose but with a permamanent and strong partition. The current flimsy Correx bends easily and is always reluctant to fit into the roof groove.

Not only would compatibility be an asset, but a design produced in greater volume would gain economy of scale manufacturing costs, some of which would trickle down to the buyer.

Great to see some competition in this product space

In principle, yes, but the UK market is tiny and fragmented enough already, and given the rising cost of manufacture we can expect that eventually all three will be up to par on pricing. Commonality of equipment in the field is worth more over the years than saving a fiver here and there at point of sale.

 

[Rory Fields]

Great to see some competition in this product space.

I'd also like to see an alternative to the Maisemore deep extension, which I think goes for over £40. It's the only deep extension compatible with the BS 3-in-1 and the Maisemore poly nucs. Maisemore currently have a monopoly on that product.

Yup, I emailed them asking if they could do discount if I bought 50 or so brood extensions and no joy. Be interested to hear if this polypropylene alternative is actually a lot different to the ordinary B.S./Maisies,Payne's soft poly apart from not requiting painting. Maisies sale is on at least, though tragically I have their sale prices from 2019 onwards saved and on my desktop and if those increases are just due to increased production cost then I'll eat hay with a horse.