# Honey extraction question



## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

I just put a 3rd honey super on my give today cause they were running out of room. I pulled some honey frames to see if they were capped and ready to extract but some had brood in them. So I left them. What I did was flip flopped the 2 supers that I had on there and then put an empty one on top. I was thinking I would wait till the brood hatches and then take all frames from both the 2 supers and extract? Does that sound about right? Also since I flip flopped the 2 honey supers, the queen shouldn't lay in the top supers anymore cause there is a super full on honey I between the 2 hive bodies and the honey supers, is this correct? Also, if the queen was in the super that is now in the middle, will she move down to lay, or will she continue laying up top on the honey super up there? Sorry. So many questions and they may sound confusing to you lol. Any info would be great. Still lots to learn since this is the first real year I can get any honey out. Thanks!


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## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Oh. Another question I just thought of. The hive that I'm getting honey from. Swarmed and went into a dead hive I had next to it. Lucky me! Lol but that hive is still pretty small. How do I go about putting some frames of capped brood from the big hive into the small hive? Do I put the frames in there with the bees on the frames or knock them off first? Not sure how that all works. Then do I take frames from the small hive and put them into the big hive to "replace" the frames I'm taking? So kinda do a trade between the two hives?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I would put al the frames with brood next to the main hive boxes, Also make sure the queen is not in the supers and use a queen excluder at this time.

To build up your swarm I would pull a couple frames brush the bees off and put them with the swarm take the frames from the swarm that are empty and give to the strong hive. I'd do it about every two weeks till the population of the swarm hive got built up good. If you want to add a* few* live bees with the frames spray them with vanilla so they do not have the scent of the original colony.

 Al


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## farmnewbie (Apr 18, 2014)

Thanks Al! Sooo since I put the honey box that had brood in the middle of my 3 supers, should I go out there and move it back down today next to the main hive boxes where it was originally? Them put a queen excluder in? I have a really hard time finding the queen and not so sure I will locate her and kinda scared I will exclude her up in the honey supers. Haha. There are LOTS of bees in that hive and very hard to look at them all. 
And thanks for the info about giving brood to the swarm. I will do that. 
Should I wait a day or so to go back into the hives since it was just yesterday that I was in?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I think you did right to move the brood: I have noticed the queen can be quick to put eggs into any recently emptied cell! By moving the brood away from the center you make it less likely that she will be on the frame when you move it.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Make sure the queen is not on any of the honey super frames by brushing them all off back into the brood boxes, then place the queen excluder and stack the supers back on. 
Yes you can disturb the bees two days in a row if you need to.

 Al


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