Forwarded for Len Lawrence who is having trouble posting tonite:
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This is the method I use when making splits.
 I live about 25 miles North of Kansas City Mo.  I run about 30
hives when everything is going the right direction.
 I try to make my splits the first week in April.  (weather
permitting)  I start feeding the last of Feb if possible.  This will
give me good full frames of capped brood for my splits.  I try and get
about 5 frames.  Most of my hives are double hive bodies.
 I remove 5 frames (if Possible) of capped brood.  SHAKE OFF all bees
and set them into another hive body.  Replace the removed frames with
either drawn comb or foundation.  Place a Queen excluder on top of the
hive and set the new hive body on top with frames of capped brood plus
a frame of pollen, 2 frames of stores and a couple empty frames and
replace cover.  You can go ahead and make up more splits.
 The bees will move up thru the excluder and cover the brood and now
you have the right amount of bees.  Later in the day or even the next
day go back remove top box fasten to bottom board place cover on and
you now have a good split.  I will then put on trailer and move to new
yard.  (All my bees are on two wheel trailers)
 This way you are not looking for the Queen as all bees where
shook off below the excluder.  I learned this from a beekeeper who ran
400 hives in Missouri.
     KEN
 
 
 
 
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
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