Whats do people think about taking drawn brood (with no eggs) and giving to a nuc

[robin]

Hi

have had a fun time, I had 1 hive, caused the queen to be killed, mistook emergency cells for swarm cells, so split, have seen the queen in the nuc and she is doing a good job, have not seen a queen or evidence (eggs) of a queen yet and am thinking of 'stealing a frame of drawn brood to allow my queen in the nuc to 'go for it'

or are they better drawing up there own frames?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I don't quite understand the question.

Am I right in assuming you have a laying queen in a nuc and the remaining colony is in a hive with some sealed brood?

What do you mean by writing that a frame of drawn brood (Is this sealed brood?) will allow a queen to go for it?

 

[Heather]

Personally I think I would rejoin these 2 colonies or you may have none in the spring. One strong colony is safer than 2 vulnerable ones.

 

[Mike a]

Personally I think I would rejoin these 2 colonies or you may have none in the spring. One strong colony is safer than 2 vulnerable ones.

I agree, combine for winter.

To replace a queen takes on average 5-6 weeks to get her hatched and mated and some of us are seeing drones being kicked out of our hives already. If she does manage to mate well it will take 3 more weeks before your first new bees emerge which puts the date very close to October when the colony is likely to be clustered for winter and not tending to brood trying to keep them warm.

 

[biggles]

Buy a mated queen then they have time.

Pete

 

[Poly Hive]

There is no point in giving sealed brood to a weak colony as it (donated frame of brood) will die for lack of warmth.

A weak colony needs more bees first. Personally I would give three good frames of shook bees and a frame of sealed brood. If you are not in a position to do that then you are not in a position to try it.

PH

 

[robin]

hi cheers for the reply

I am not adding sealed brood

the story of what happend is in another thread, but currently I have a 2 hives, one a little bigger than 4 frames, but has a queen laying, my 'main' hive has a queen on the way and a few frames of empty drawn comb, I have taken a frame from the 'large' original hive and added to the nuc box to get more eggs laid

am concerned that the 'main' hive queen is coming a bit late, will leave it another week before joining the two hives

to join the hives I am intending on insuring that the 'main' hive has not got a queen then put the 'nuc' hive on the top of the 'main' hive seperated by a piece of paper for the bees to chew through

 

[Hebeegeebee]

A test frame from the nuc will confirm if a queen is present in the other hive.

 

[robin]

that is a good idea

I had not thought to test that

my main hive is still eggless, am hoping to check today if warm enough

but I think I will do that

 

[Finman]

.
It is wise to join them. 4-frame hive. Quite slow to get a good wintering hive.

And the hive which has brood at all. All those bees will be dead before winter.

Join them, yes.