From: Vital Gaudreau <[log in to unmask]> > Someone wants to increase from 1000 to 1200 hives during the > same > year (own nucs production); Considering there will be a definite need to > increase the amount of supers and to have extra ones drawn out and when in > fact the main flow will begin, will full super(s) of 10 undrawn frames be > added on top of the brood chamber(s)? I always get the brood chamber filled first. With a nuc, feed until all brood combs are drawn. Then the hive is strong enough to draw super comb without supplemental feeding. Don't put supers on until the brood chamber comb is almost all drawn. Timing is critical, of course, because if you wait too long, you will overcrowd the brood chamber. If I need a lot of super foundation drawn, I use three combs of comb and seven frames of foundation in each box. Two combs are placed in the wall positition (always hard to get bees to draw foundation on the wall), and one is placed in the center to get the bees started. It's best if that center one is nice fresh comb, newly drawn the year before. It's even better if it's still wet from the extractor, and you can put that on at the beginning of a flow. The bees will jump right on it. If you don't have enough drawn comb and have to start with ten frames of foundation (NEVER nine, at least until the comb is drawn), then remember that the wall comb will often be undrawn, or burred up badly. After the center combs are drawn, move them to the wall position with drawn comb on the outside. These rules don't apply with swarms. When I catch a nice swarm, I may give them a frame or two of brood/honey to get them off quickly, but they are already primed to draw wax. You can give them 17 or 18 frames of foundation, and they will draw it better than any established colony ever would. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::