# Top bar hives



## bowslinger (Aug 4, 2007)

I was wondering if any one uses them and how they like them. I'm thinking about building one and trying it next year .


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## yankeedoodle (Feb 28, 2018)

They are good if you are into more "natural" beekeeping, but not as productive as boxes. It is a very visually appealing method for leisure keepers.
Definitely do some research.


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Easy to build and no frames to make. They do look nice. My brother had one and liked it.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm building a couple of Layen's style boxes to try. They are sized to mimic natural tree cavities. The bees are actually encouraged to swarm. You just put out swarm boxes and put them in a new box. They have been using this system to house bees for several hundred of years, over in Spain and Portugal, to the tune of over 1 million hives. I can find this style dating back to the 1600's in Russia. 
I'm getting long in the tooth. One day I won't be able to heft a super full of honey. But I think I will be able to heft one frame at a time. 
These are a horizontal hive box that has the ability to store the equivalent of about 5 Langstroth deep supers. The frames are larger but still can be put in an extractor. 
(Second hand knowledge) Its said that colonies overwintered in them have less tendency to die out because the colony doesn't have to move up to get food. Only need to be tended twice a year. Some aren't even feeding or medicating the bees if they come from feral genetics. I guess we will see.
Free plans at horizantalhive.com Take a look.
There is also a professor from Cornell University. A Dr. Thomas Seeley. That has a lot of data from studying swarms, supporting the use of this style of box being more suited to the natural preference of the bees letting them excel with less input.
I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to stop raising bees to get honey and start raising bees to pollinate my local area. The honey then is a byproduct.


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