New install of Flow Hive

Hello from Texas–
Ok so I installed my bees on Wednesday in the brood box only and allowed them till today, Saturday to extract the queen from her cage (as they did). Today i went in to the brood to add on the flow hive and just wanted some reassurance that I did it right. Between the brood and flow hive I put the white plastic queen excluder screen, and the board with the hole on top of the flow hive then capped it off with the roof. Sound right ? I know my bees were not happy when i was moving them as I was stung on the face through my suit ( my face was in contact with the screen). I know it will take time but how long till they move up into the hive and start building into the comb up top? thanks-- Justin

No, No dont add them until they are busting at the seams

how long till they move up top on their own ? i didnt move them up top, just added the flow hive.

wanted get that out first and then follow up later. You should not install your flu frames until your bees are well established

talk to me about your set up describe what you got so far and what part of Texas are you in

I live in Arlington. I have a basic 7 frame brood, natural- no wax, or strings. I have a colony from a bee keeper in Navasota with a clipped and marked queen- All-American Bees. I have the super flow kit

7 frame? normal boxes are 8 and 10 frame?

it is suggested in Texas that we run two Brood boxes and one supper for honey. Nothing dictates that you should use two it is just a suggestion by all the beekeepers in the southern US. I thought about running one broodbox and one honey super, But I went on and bought another broodbox so I could have two as suggested. I’ve had my bees in the box since early March and last weekend I added the second brood box and it’s probably another month or so before I think about adding the flow frames.

how long have you had your bee’s again?

How full in the box with Brood?

@jmick01 Justin, your bees will need quite a long time to establish themselves before you should consider adding your flow frames.
Perhaps as long as a year.
Are you a member of a beekeeping club/group? If not, find one. Now.
You definitely should remove the flow frames, place the crown board (the one with the hole in it) on top of the brood box and then place the roof over that.
Have you made plans to feed your bees?

Sorry yes 8 frame brood. I only have had the bees for 4 days. I added the flow because after the videos i thought it that was how it was done. Well i guess I will see what happens next with the flows on top :slight_smile:

wow. I did not know that :frowning:
I thought by watching the videos and such that I could get in the ballpark, i guess I did with one detail missed.
What would be the possibilities if I left the flows on ?

I am feeding them Mann Lake Bee patties

What will happen is that you will set your bees back quite a bit and they will fail to thrive.
Listen to Marty and Bobby

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Dee- As per you, marty and bobby I quickly removed the flow, put the girls back in the brood only without any harm to me or them :slight_smile:
about how long or what signs should i be looking for when to add the flow on top ?

Thank you all for the perfectly timed advice

Justin

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Well done, and good for you that you came here and listened to the advice. This is a great community, and we all want everyone’s bees to succeed.

You should not put a second box on until all of the frames have fully drawn comb, and that comb is at least 80% full of brood with some honey and pollen, plus every frame well-covered with bees. If you do expand the hive too soon, the hive may be too big for the bees to defend against wax moths and small hive beetles, and may also be too big for them to keep warm if you get some colder spring days. If your local beekeepers use a second brood box (many in the US do), you should too - and that should be 80% full also before you put any honey super on. Join a local bee club and ask - beekeepers are very willing to share info. You can buy an extra matching brood box from www.beethinking.com if you find that you need one.

Ok. This is awesome information! I know others have said they add a second brood box but I am gonna try to keep it at one for now.

I have checked in the area and its 60/40 that people in my area use a second brood box.

Suggest you also feed them some sugar and water one part part sugar one part water, the easiest thing to get right now is an entrance feeder. May have some robbing but I would not worry about that I would try to get them sugar water as soon as you can

Dallas Area - Trinity Haymarket
1715 Market Center Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75207
Phone: 214-202-2163

this is where I pick up my NUC from Beeweeaver. they had an entrance feeders there. If they are open tomorrow you may want to go get one. the nice think about the one they sale as apposed to this one is the jar is plastic which is not as heavy

http://www.agrisupply.com/product.aspx?p=89215&sid=asf10&eid=Easf10&utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=MerchAdv&zmam=77232640&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=89215&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NB_PLA_AllItems_TX_GOOG&utm_term=shopping&utm_content=sdTQ5QduP|pcrid|94828061951|pmt||pkw||pdv|c|&&gclid=CjwKEAjw0KK4BRDCiKHD5Ny8pHESJACLE620YZ1Xywq9TpYvfYO3v-hhyDnPX360inWOQcWdc4q59BoCSHLw_wcB

may want to check out this post I just added as well as check it out the YouTube video I’m talking about

http://forum.honeyflow.com/t/adding-boxes-too-soon/6304?u=martydallas

Hi Marty. I am in Midlothian. Why two brood boxes. First I have heard of that. Thanks. Dale