# beginner kits



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

are these things a good idea? Or do I need to order separately to get a better end result? Do they really have everything I need to get started? Those starter hives look like they are missing the supers. do you not need them the first year?

Bear with me. I did order some beekeeping books today. Am I too late for this year?


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

it generally takes 5 to 10 days to get your boxes and frames and all gear it depends where you are on how many supers you will need the first year
also on how much you are prepared to feed early in the year.you should have your bees organised by the end of january or you may have trouble getting them (they sell out quickly and in most cases you will want them as early as possible) your local bee club could help with this.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Most of the starter/beginner kits do not have all you need for one colony for one year.
Mann Lake has a starter kit that contains every thing you need for one colony for one year plus a bunch of extra stuff you don't need.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page80.html


 Al


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Like you don't need.
1 Pro-FeederÂ® w/Float. A pickle jar with holes in the lid works better and are free from most pizza shops.

1 Metal Queen Excluder, this one is up to YOU but many call them honey excluders as the bees don't like to go thru them as quickly as with out them and fill the honey super.

â¢ 1 Package Smoker Fuel 
Use free sumac, pine neddles, damp straw, dry horse/cow manure, hemp baling twine, card board, dry rotted wood, wood chips, saw dust, and many other things. 

â¢ 1 Beekeeperâs Handbook
You have already ordered some.

I personally do not recommend Mann lake wood frames as they are hard to assemble with out predrilling the nail holes. I use a air nailer and many times still have to drive the nails the rest of the way down with a hammer.

Make a list of the things in the above posted link and shop around for the best prices at other supply places. 

You are not to late to start this year IF you can find a package/nuc bee supplier not sold out already.Check with the Walter Kelley company.
If you order the wooden ware soon you have till march to assemble it all and paint it.
Look at your local paint store for OOP's paint at a reduced cost. I get gallons of stain for $5.00
Much lower than the $25.00 for the normal mixed color price.

You can be keeping bees this summer and be hooked on the little buggers 

 Al


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If I were starting I would get some thing like this. Copy the list and shop around for the best price.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/catalog/page79.html

Shop and add in the suit If I wanted one,
smoker, hive tool, gloves and a bee brush.
other suppliers are listed in the stick post above under supplier feed back.

 Al


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

You guys know so much! Thanks for your responses once again. 

I have contacted the local beekeeper association. They meet next Tues. So there will be that info. I do need to order a hive though. Building/getting it together in time won't be an issue. DH is a woodworker and has every tool you could ever want. Is there a certain kind of wood that I want the hive built made out of? 

So, I want the bees to arrive in March? 

I was reading TN beekeeper info last night. You sure have to watch for 
"bugs" with these little critters. I hope I can keep up with that and not kill them all off. What if they hate me and swarm off? I will have to register my hive with the state but they will give me inspections/advice. Do they charge me everytime they come out? 

How do I know how many supers I will need the first year? I saw that bees come in 3 lb packages.....does one package fill the hive?


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

If you are in east Tenn., you may want to contact this guy. A nuc is a better way to start than a package of bees. It will get you about a 30 day headstart.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215288


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Yes, I was looking at nucs today and wondering if they would be better. Only, I am in west TN and I think Oklahoma is closer to me than E TN. Okay, maybe TN isn't that long east to west.

but thanks for the advice. 

is there a reason to be 30 days ahead? Is it better for the bees? Or would I be more likely to get honey sooner? I was thinking that the first year wouldn't have much honey to use. Just getting used to the bees and how to do things.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

For one year the first, one honey super should be plenty per colony.

Yes one 3 pound package fills a hive.

Why a nuc gets a 30 day jump on a package?
With a four or five frame nuc you get that many frames all ready drawn out so the queen has been laying eggs, brood maybe just about ready to hatch also.

With a package the girls have to draw out the comb on all 10 frames. The queen has to wait till some comb is drawn to start laying. Could take as long as a couple days depending on the foundation. We have had them not draw foundation out at all for 2 weeks. 
Once the queen starts laying it takes 28 days from egg to adult worker bee.

Make a list of questions to take to that bee club meeting. 
Biggest question is can you find some one near you to buy nucs from.

 Al


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

for the meeting this week question number one will be if I can find bees locally or a nuc. And find a mentor-type person. 

I do have a list of questions. I am not sure that they will have time to answer them all. I do wish I had the book NOW instead of having to wait for another week. Oh well. I would rather learn what I can ahead THEN ask questions. 

I do appreciate your help. DH is willing to build a hive for me if I want, but I think we will just buy the first pieces, let him measure and draw up the plans and then build the add on pieces. He is an engineer so drawing/building isn't a problem. Over drawing and over building is.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Look in the sticky post above and I have picture plans for building 9 5/8 inch hive bodies, screen bottom boards too. 
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=120278
If you have the tools to build your own then do it rather than pay the huge shipping cost to get store bought stuff.
Unless you have a cheap sourse of lumber the shipping cost is about all you save too.
Of course you have the satifaction of saying I did it myself. 
 Al


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I hadn't thought of those. I guess that is why all the places the sell hives include the weight of the packages? The boxes look very simple to build. I think I like the fingered joints better than rabbited. 

I will check over your thread on hive plans and see what else we can build.

Do I just need one brooder box and one super the first year? I thought I might need the medium sized supers so I can lift the things.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

You can build all 6 5/8 inch hive bodies, use 3 for the brood chamber and what ever many the girls will draw out and fill. I personally hate the 3 box system, as you have to move 30 frames when ever you want to find the queen herself. LOL many times she is on frame 30 to.
I use the deep boxes and when I want to move them I remove a frame at a time to lighten the load.

For Michigan and the way we do things (to each their own) 2 deep brood hives on screen bottom boards. Add one honey super (we use the shallows mostly) when they have nearly all the foundation drawn out in booth deeps. Add more honey supers as they draw out the new foundation nearly all the way.
If placeing a honey super withj drawn comb I usally start out with two.

So by Sept. first we have a stack of two deep brood chambers, 2 to 4 shallow honey supers.
End of September they look like this. We are pulling honey supers off.



















 Al


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

What is drawing out? Is that the bees making the comb?

So I start with one brooder (bottom) and one super? Or two and one? 

DH is sure he can build what we need, but we might still buy the first ones and let him just match what is there. He is currently trying to finish my Christmas present, a sewing cabinet. It's doors are like a kitchens so he has had a lot of work with those. I am not sure he is ready for another project -even if it is easy. I am anxious for my books to arrive so I can start learning from the beginning. 

Does starting out with drawn comb help you get more honey? 

Thanks, you have been a great help! DH is actually in Michigan this week, or I would have him look at the hive plans you have on the sticky.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

The frames have what is knowen as foundation in them. I use wax only, many use plastiac. The bees have to build the cells (called drawing out) from the foundation so the queen can lay eggs in themand store honey and pollen. They also have to do it with the honey supers so they can store the honey & pollen.

You start with one single brood box. when they have it mostly drawn out you add another deep brood box. when that one is nearly finished then you add honey supers.

 Al


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Okay, I am beginning to see how. I start with the one box for brooding, then when they fill that one, add another - then add the supers for honey as the fill those. So, I need to have a supply of boxes on hand with the frames - differing frames for what I want to do with them. I also just read to keep the honey frames for honey and not for brooding. 

I got my books yesterday and also went to the library and checked out the XYZ Book of Bees. Hopefully, I will beging to understand better as I go along. The group meeting is tonight so I will see what kind and where people here get their bees and if anyone would have a nuc available. 

So much to learn! STILL.


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

I've been learning for year and still have no bees. This is the year though. Can't wait.

There is a good company in Tennessee called Brushy Mountain. I've ordered most of my stuff from them because they offered free shipping back in December (they did it the year before too). I have also ordered from Betterbee, which used to have cheaper stuff (cost) because it was made in Canada. A weak dollar has changed that and I decided to buy American if it costs the same.

There are a lot of options out there and being new myself I can attest that you need to be careful of information overload.

The best thing to do is get some equipment and get to it and learn. Make sure you have at least 2 hives and I would strongly suggest that you consider an all medium sized brood box and super set-up.

Then find a local group, which based on another post it sounds like you have.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Brushy is in NC.

http://www.beeequipment.com/


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

I knew that. 

Really, I did. 

All I can think of is that I was responding to a guy I was thinking about buying medium nucs from down in Tenn why I responded to the topic.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I greatly appreciate all the info. I can't say it enough.

I have located a 10-frame hive with bees/drawn comb that I can purchase locally. I am getting really excited about all of this. 

Info overload? Already to late.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Callieslamb said:


> So much to learn! STILL.


I've heard beekeepers with 50 years experience say the same thing! That's what makes it fun. If you could learn everything in your first year, you'd be bored your second year.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Knew a fellow who grew up with bees and kept his own for over 60 years. He told me once that when you think you know all there is to know the girls will teach you some thing altogether different than you thought.
I've had that happen to me. I look for the answers in the many books I own, there isn't an answer. I talk to other beekeepers and they don't know either. I keep getting told just remember that happening, some day you may learn the answer to Just what were they doing.

 Al


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