Mark,
Although I am not sure why, it appears your post isnt getting much in the
way of response.   So I'll give you my two cents worth.

>1. How long can the bees go without a cleansing flight!  I am not =
>certain all hives have good access to the exit holes in the shed.
I have worried about this ever since I moved to the high mountains of
Eastern Oregon.  As I am beginning to realize- most of my worries are for
not.  Here it is normal to go for a month or more with no days getting
above freezing and of course in this scenario my bees usually go from Nov
to March without a cleansing flight.  I know this seems extreme but they
have done pretty good so far.  Now as you may guess bottom boards are
something to be remembered come spring time.  In fact my wife wont help me
clean them again after last years gut wrenching mess.  I have to be more
careful about treating for Nosema since without the opportunity to fly bees
will relieve themselves inside the hive.  If you have Nosema to any degree
it gets really nasty really quick.  Have fresh, clean and dry bottom boards
ready if possible during that first spring inspection.

>2. What is the optimum temperature.  The shed stays between 10 F and 35 =
>F.
 Our temperatures this winter have been about the same as yours.  At the
moment my bees are outside and covered in snow.   This has the advantage of
insulation from extreme temperatures but also hampers ventilation a bit.
If your shed has good ventilation I think you are actually ahead of the
game.  Dry and cold is better than wet and a little warmer.

>3. Honey consumption. I left around 100 lbs. per hive.
How much you need to leave has something to do with the strain of bee you
are raising, how many bees the colony is trying to carry over and how cold
(on average) it stays throughout the winter.  100 pounds should be more
than adequate.  I dont think anyone would suggest your bees have to little
feed.  I expect most of my bees to make it with about 50-75 lbs average.
Now in a shed it is possible that a sunny day wont warm the hives like it
would if the bees were outside.  An sunny period (warmer inside
temperatures) - even if it is only a few hours- enables bees to move to a
new location in the hive to get to new stores.  I have had bees starve with
stores only a frame away- it was simply too cold for the cluster to move.
I wouldnt freak out if your bees arent getting warming periods inside your
shed.  What I describe has always been the exception rather than the rule.


>Another other comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Now I dont know for sure- but I have heard that the actual spring flights
(where the bees reorient themselves) can be a problem if they are still in
the shed.  You see the potential problem here- your bees will continue to
come back to the shed looking for their hives even though you have moved
them outside.  I guess the solution is to move them before they have those
first good cleansing flights or move them a sufficient distance away.

Good Luck-
Steve Davis
Summerville, Oregon