Second Brood box Vs Super/s

[Nick Lang]

So.....I bought in a new queen from Black Mountain Honey.....lovely queen...made up a nuc with three frames of capped brood and some stores on 26 may......checked them on 4 June....they were rammed, brood everywhere and they were desperately building come to fill any space.......so moved them into a full size national deep brood box.
Went in today... they've almost filled the brood box and nearly all frames have brood in them....I'm only in my third year keeping bees, but to me I think they need more space???
Should I be adding another brood box ....or should I add a super???
Ta

 

[blackcloud]

Id put a bb asap

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you should have added a super when they were on about seven frames of brood, but if she's filled a whole box with brood in short order, a single national deep is never going to be enough for her. Go double brood.
What type of queen did you buy off him?

 

[Nick Lang]

She's a Buckfast F1.....must be the formula one version

 

[Nick Lang]

Should I move some of the frames up into the second Brood box?

 

[blackcloud]

Put half in the centre of each box.
If you like.

 

[Ian123]

Should I move some of the frames up into the second Brood box?

Put your new box straight on top, slip a frame of sealed brood from below into the centre andvthe bees will happily move up and do the rest. On future inspections if any of the top box frames are filled with nectar push them to the edges and push foundation up against any frames of brood.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I’d probably do what black cloud said but keep the emerging brood in the centre bias on the outside it would keep the honey in the supers ?

 

[Nick Lang]

There are no supers on the hive....I literally only created this as a nuc three weeks ago.... it's gone from a three frame nuc to a rammed full national brood box in that time.....it has caught me by surprise really

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well I’d still do the manipulation and probably put a super on if you have a flow going and she is as prolific as you say.

 

[ericbeaumont]

move some of the frames up into the second Brood box?

Definitely, though I'd move up three or so frames of open brood, to get the nurse bees and queen up and prevent the use of the box as a super. Sealed below has less need for warmth, and will give it to the open above.

caught me by surprise

We've all been there! Add a super once they've worked some of the BB foundation, but watch that the top outer BB frames aren't used for honey only. If they are, extract & return the same day.

 

[ericbeaumont]

keep the emerging brood in the centre bias on the outside it would keep the honey in the supers

This is a method used when taking bees to heather, as it keeps the outer brood frames (where nectar may otherwise be parked) occupied for longest, obliging bees to go upstairs.

 

[Curly green finger's]

This is a method used when taking bees to heather, as it keeps the outer brood frames (where nectar may otherwise be parked) occupied for longest, obliging bees to go upstairs.

Yes I know but it also works for all flows .
I have some going now for the phacelia/clover. Single brood

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I know but it also works for all flows .
I have some going now for the phacelia/clover. Single brood

Are you in the bees frequently moving frames?

 

[Nick Lang]

.....thanks for the advice about the second Brood box in the nuc!

I have another question about second Brood boxes....I have a hive which I requeened with a new this year queen.....the hive has two supers on it already ..one full ..one getting started.....Queen has layed up the first brood box.....so I added a second moving three frames of open brood up into the new second and used frames of foundation for the others....is this a good idea???...or should I be running just one box at this time of year....I worry that they will try to fill the upper BB with honey?
Seems to be a girly debated topic the single/double BB issue....both seem to have merits...both seem to have negative issues

 

[user 819]

Quite simply if she needs laying space , provide it .

 

[ericbeaumont]

is this a good idea...or should I be running just one box at this time of year?

Good thinking.

Rapid expansion of colonies is over and the Solstice tomorrow is the tipping point for the change of tack to consolidation & acquisition. This, and the arrival of the main flow will usually put a stop to swarming, and you could revert to one packed BB and oblige them to put income upstairs in supers.

On the other hand, if the colony has filled the second BB and is drawing the foundation, you might leave them be and either reduce to one BB at the end of summer (extract surplus DN frames of honey) or leave them on DBB for winter.

The last option would save the faff and expense of feeding.

 

[SWEET]

So.....I bought in a new queen from Black Mountain Honey.....lovely queen...made up a nuc with three frames of capped brood and some stores on 26 may......checked them on 4 June....they were rammed, brood everywhere and they were desperately building come to fill any space.......so moved them into a full size national deep brood box.
Went in today... they've almost filled the brood box and nearly all frames have brood in them....I'm only in my third year keeping bees, but to me I think they need more space???
Should I be adding another brood box ....or should I add a super???
Ta

Hi Nick

If the original nuc frames are capped and about to emerge and the rest eggs/brood i'd hold fire on the second box and just add super(s) so bees have space (you'll have a bunch of empty frames soon). This is where running a single size box is handy and you can move the frames around and give more space and change the hive* configuration.

Without more detail on the state of the frames it's tricky to assess, most of them might be clogged with pollen and honey and drones.

*not for everyone though

Cheers