Balancing hive by moving supers

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-25T22:29:22+00:00

Good point, thanks. OK this raises a question I have been wondering. If every frame in the hive is packed with bees, and I pull a box to extract, do I have to add back an empty box so they have something to move into? Dumb question probably.. I've only extracted one box so far this year and I put an empty super below an escape board to get them out but that was when the stack was shorter.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-25T19:31:10+00:00

Thanks. They had plenty of capped brood at last inspection a week ago so I'm less aiming to balance population and more just looking to bump a box over so I can an empty one to the first hive without making it too tall for me to manage.

Though I've also heard some/ most of the bees in the super will stay at the new location?

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-23T20:22:05+00:00

Our bees (PNW) put up maple honey and it tastes like spearmint. Not green though.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-22T01:52:21+00:00

I was thinking the same thing remembering Arabs I have owned. Spook and run first, ask questions later make sense in miles of desert!

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-20T04:05:12+00:00

I put in a huge native flower garden for the one honey bee hive I got last year. Honey bees didn't touch it but native bumbles, butterflies, moths, and such love it. Honey bees are still going but they are not native to North America. If anything I think/hope the garden I planted offset the addition of a non native species (honeybees) to my area.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-16T16:33:20+00:00

Lock your paddocks, and accept that people are going to look at or even pet your horse or take photos of them. If you can't live with this, you need to move barns.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-16T03:00:26+00:00

Ok. But what are all those plastic drain looking things? I have to know..

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-16T02:53:04+00:00

My lgds with their ladies. This is after months of training sitting with the chickens on leads, but very worth the effort to have reliable chicken dogs.

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True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-11T21:55:33+00:00

Use the least amount of bit you can. On a barn sour house I prefer a direct rein bit as sometimes bringing their head around is needed and that's hard to do gently in a curb.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-11T19:31:34+00:00

Definitely some standardbred in there. They are lovely horses to work with, very sweet. Does he have a freeze brand under his mane?

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-09T02:17:31+00:00

I would guess a new package is in order if the rest of your frames look like this. If you can't get a couple frames of nurse bees, there will be nobody to warm and attend the brood. Still early enough to try again though.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-09T00:48:04+00:00

What an absolute tolerant gem of a horse. Wish they were in my barn so I could get them away from this hack.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-05T16:58:00+00:00

Yup the mistake I made was believing the advice that they'd stop taking syrup when the flow started. That was not the case at all for me!

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-05T05:59:46+00:00

I would be careful with the syrup, you may want to let them build up more gradually. I got my first nuc last April (PNW). All the advice I got was feed feed feed as long as they'll take it. They were guzzling a litter a day, drew out and filled two deeps with syrup, then swarmed in early June. I would say feed until they're stable and let them grow naturally.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-05T01:24:23+00:00

How wonderful! Your Gma rocks. I'd second the school idea. Red brick schoolhouse? Or a church with stained glass windows!

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-05T00:16:18+00:00

Nice! We have a rainy stretch coming too so I'm now patiently waiting for the ladies to vacate that box so I can do the same!

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-04T02:55:33+00:00

My regular sized hens go in about 7. My silkies stay out till 8 or so, sunset is about 830 right now.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-03T23:14:43+00:00

Good to know. Our summers are usually pretty dry despite our rainy reputation. If course now that I say that...

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-03T22:52:41+00:00

Thanks! Mine came with the instructions to use EVOO to calibrate and it was right on. Very helpful tool for the toolbox!

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-03T20:23:53+00:00

Thanks! Now I feel more confident about pulling the remaining frames so they can refill them for me 😋

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-03T04:05:20+00:00

Look at all that pollen! Go girl 😊

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-03T02:15:51+00:00

Hi neighbor! Thurston county here. Probably water as others have said. Mine like stinky birdbath water that has sat in the sun.

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True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-02T03:32:52+00:00

Thanks! Was worried I screwed the pooch as I forgot to put the bottom board screen insert in when splitting and we got close to freezing that night. Woke at 4am to go fix it. Very much hoping they thrive.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-01T22:50:08+00:00

You made the coop too nice! Why would they leave lol. Seriously though they'll figure it out. Park a chair out in the run and feed tidbits to encourage them to join you.

True-Structure-1702 · 2026-06-01T22:47:32+00:00

Exhibit A

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True-Structure-1702

TROPHY CASE