>  I added Mike Palmer's name as I started using his method after Mike posted
>his method on BEE-L ( with modifications for hives on pallets as Mike does
>not keep his hives on pallets ( or at least did not back then)


Nice to know someone was listening, Bob. No, I don't keep my bees on 
pallets. Sold em all so I wouldn't be tempted.

The whole idea for me is to weigh all my hives in late September. I 
know just what to feed, and just how each colony prepared itself for 
winter, and the total actual production. I used to lift all the 
colonies with a spring scale. Meant 2 people and some really hard 
work. Ruined my shoulders. Had to come up with a better way.

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view&current=springscale2.jpg

Had a dream one night...why lift? Why not tip?

Bought a cheap package scale.

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view&current=packagescale1.jpg

And weighed them this way.

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view&current=weighinghives2.jpg

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/frenchhill/?action=view&current=weighinghives3.jpg

I can weigh an entire yard in less than an hour...the whole operation 
in a few days. And, I don't have to move or lift any hives.

Allen, you mentioned 110 lbs as being a minimum weight for winter. 
Well, I've weighed all my hives for the last 25+ years. I've adjusted 
my target weight up over the years so I have only a handful of 
starved colonies in the spring. In my area, a colony that only weighs 
110 pounds would surely be dead before spring...more likely in 
mid-winter. I wonder what the difference is between your bees and 
mine. I do breed for large winter clusters. Love those colonies with 
10 and 12 and 14 frames of brood in early May.

Could it be the packing you use? 

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