How To Help A Failing Hive

In this video I help a hive that is diminishing in population by adding nurse bees and capped brood. Before I added the frame I set it away from the original hive in a separate box to allow the forager bees time to migrate back, leaving the capped brood frame covered with only nurse bees. Depending on how your queen produces after giving the extra bees and brood, you may want to think about requeening, as the trouble in population could very well be blamed on the queen's performance.

This type of help does not apply to disease ridden hives, only those that are failing because of a diminishing population.

[karinjohnson]

THANK YOU! I have one strong hive and one weaker hive. It had JUST occurred to me this morning that the weak queen which I replaced this past weekend hadn't laid any healthy eggs. The workers have been pulling out larvae. The new queen is still working her way out of the cage, but once she's out, there would be few-to-no nurse bees. Just pulled out a frame from the the strong hive...now waiting for any foragers to return. I know this is going to help. I will reduce the entrance some too. They have plenty of resources in the hive, as it is June.🐝

[frankgessner]

I agree completely with your philosophy of raising bees locally. I haven't bought a queen in years now. I would, however, like to buy yours when available. Keep up the good work.

[pamelamorrison]

I appreciate your explanation, that’s exactly what I needed to know. 💯 Thanks!!

[Tyler-B-ie]

Dude out all the beekeeping videos I watch your channel and vino farms are the best. You've shared lots of knowledge and helped me out! Thank you

[thuffman]

Okay, first of all LOL with the phone sounds! Second of all, THANKS! I too have acquired a mix of equipment(10 frame and 8 frame boxes, mediums and deeps, along with nucs, lol) I always appreciate the way you elaborate. My "goal" this season is to increase my hives. I don't want to purchase queens, so "queen-less" splits are on the agenda. Seems like a simple concept. I'm located in SW Florida (no frost or snow). So if I can get my act together, I hope to put all the equipment I have to use one of these days.

I always enjoy listening to you and watching your videos keeps me inspired (maybe it's the bearded beekeeping brotherhood which brings us together? LOL).. Thanks again for sharing your time. Looking forward to your next upload

[timlewis]

Thankyou for this vid. I need to give a nuc some help and you answered my question. Thanks

[yesterdaysfool]

Thanks for the informative video. I'm trying to strengthen a walkaway split between 2 very strong hives. I have swarms every year, (almost all of which I capture and rehome) but these loooong harsh Alberta winters can still take quite a toll some years. The strongest of the 2 hives being the one I robbed of 4 frames of brood (2 mostly capped, and 2 of much younger ages and eggs) along with a frame of mostly capped honey and a couple frames of mainly pollen and empty cells, plus 3 empty frames. I was wondering if adding a couple frames of capped brood from the other hive, (which is likely the stronger of the 2 now) replacing a couple empties, might present a problem. It sounds like it shouldn't be an issue anymore (fingers crossed as it's been a bit hit and miss in years passed) by adding the hour to let the foragers return to their initial hive prior to adding the frame to the weaker hive. At least it sounds like a promising pursuit in my looking for a solution.

[fabianweber]

Oooh here's my stupid new video idea. I'd love to see some of those super tall heavy boxed 2 queen systems!

[peterkarzon]

I am trying to strengthen weaknesses hive, I picked up a frame with broad from strong hive do I have to shake the bees from the fram and put it in the weaknesses hive.

[tmcuevs]

Thanks for the video. im still not too familiar with combining nurse bees with another colony. Could you update us on that combine? May i also suggest a camera stand.

[eddevault]

Good video Brett....always when your filming...be mindful of the direction of the sun....can be a bit of glare to deal with....question—in one of your queen rearing videos...you take the cell bar frame from the cell builder to an incubator...what is that purpose...why not leave it in that cell builder box until you harvest the cells...not all of us have an have lost more queens this year than ever before...for no apparent reason...do you have any input as to why....Is it because I’m getting into my boxes too much....Thank You Brett....

[diannaboykin]

Thanks, and Thanks... I checked, I hadn't deleted my comment about giving the nuc brood.. Not sure why, I've had others say they couldn't read my comments, :-(, but have no idea why

[stevenfry]

With building a weak colony such as this, if you can build it up some, can you over winter this hive as a 5 frame nuc?

[HMaktoum]

Hi .. I am glad to see you again with nice explanation on how to support weak hives.
question about the frame you added with bees from a different hive don't you think they will fight each other?

[baddestbees]

I know this video is old but I just seen a hive at my place exactly like this yesterday did this one make a comeback and grow into a full Hive? I know the Queen can only lay as much as the nurse bees can cover or at least the nurse bees will only allow that so when they get to that point they're stuck but I'm just curious if that frame of brood give them the numbers to turn things around and did it happen quickly? Good video thanks for your response in advance

[dannywillis]

if I spilt my hive even in two hives will i be able to get honey from both hives this year

[iansteenkamp]

lol wht a pun 4:16 that can be pretty close