Starting New Colonies In Our Two Queen Hive!

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE IN JUNE 2024! Join our email list at www.thekeepershive.com
In this video we are setting up one of our Two Queen Keepers with two new nucs. We give you some pointers on hive orientation, queen selection, using the follower board, and more!
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[@FrederickDunn]

I am very much looking forward to trying out my Keeper's Hive this year! It's so nice to have new ways to manage our honey bees. Thanks for sharing and helping us all find alternate methods of management. :) Keep the tutorials coming, I appreciate it.

[@TheKeepersHive]

Thanks Fred. I really enjoy the educational aspect of what we do on youtube! You are much more entertaining than me for sure. George

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks George! :) @@TheKeepersHive

[@FlemingTeaSC]

Thanks Fred for introducing us to the Keeper’s Hive folks!!

[@FrederickDunn]

@@FlemingTeaSC You are very welcome, I absolutely enjoy learning new methods and sharing about them. Did you get one? :)

[@FlemingTeaSC]

@@FrederickDunn Hi Fred, not sure if you are referring to caulk gun feeding or Q1/Q2 hives? Yes, on caulk gun feeding….George and Nat mentioned in a recent letter the release/ordering has been moved back to early Summer 2024!

[@Jeff_and_Jenny_M]

I'm looking forward to future videos. Nat's seated position on working the bees is a great selling point for your hive design. I can't wait for the crowdfunding to start. Keep up the good work!

[@TheKeepersHive]

We are excited too! George

[@FlemingTeaSC]

Thank you George and Nat, appreciate the Q2 setup! I was thinking of your caulk gun pollen delivery system, maybe juice up both brood boxes? Jim, Florence, SC

[@TheKeepersHive]

I love the caulk gun pollen system! You will be seeing more of its use in future videos. George

[@10xshooters]

New to your channel and curious in bee keeping. Very overwhelming of information for sure.

[@TheKeepersHive]

Very cool to be starting your journey. A bunch of good information is on our website too: www.thekeepershive.com A new beekeeper video series is in the works and coming soon. Stay tuned. George

[@tonyvanoostrom3501]

Great video… love the idea you guys have come up with. Related to thermoregulation, is the opening into the upper box through the queen excluder not a challenge especially for the smaller hive? The follower board is great but seems to be defeated by the opening into the upper chamber.? I’m thinking some form of temporary inner cover on the inside… even a flexible one should go directly overtop the queen excluder? Perhaps bubble wrap/reflectix? You could have a removable hole or folding hole in it for feeding. I’m in Southern Ontario, I would add 1.5 or 2 inches of insulation under the telescopic cover as well so the bees don’t get rained on through the winter. This is a fantastic idea. I look forward to watching your videos this year. I’ve been doing Demarees for a number of years… a great process. Keen to see how you adapt it for the double queen hive.

[@TheKeepersHive]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response! Yes can put some reflectix or foam board insulation over the queen excluder with a opening for a mason jar feeder. This would probably help the colony conserve some heat.

[@cryptotony5110]

Awesome! Quick question: What sits between the 2 brood chambers? It looks close to 6". Is it sealed off?

[@TheKeepersHive]

It is an enclosed sealed box. The queen excluder and supers sit on it. George

[@davidsoloninka7742]

Yes, very easy to slide fwd however, when frames get Propolised in place u wont b able to slide them out right?

[@TheKeepersHive]

Watch the propolis video. I am 100% positive that propolis does not impact the function of the Keepers Hive. George

[@davidsoloninka7742]

Ask u stack honey supers do u have take them all of to switch out full brood frames from bottom brood boxes?

[@TheKeepersHive]

Nope. Access to the brood chamber is done without removing any supers above. George

[@davidsoloninka7742]

When u shove that first frame forward how do u get it out after the bees have propolised it in place?

[@TheKeepersHive]

We have made a lot of videos to help beekeepers understand how the hive functions. There are 2 propolis videos that show how we limit propolis disrupting the function of the hive and how the frames/frame protectors are oriented in the brood chamber. Take a look at these and let me know if they answer your questions. George

[@anthonymauceri8919]

How do you over winter the configuration that you have with the double nukes in the one hive

[@TheKeepersHive]

The 10 frame spacer box above the double brood box has a divider in it. So each side has 8 in the brood chamber and 5 in the spacer box (13 deep frames in total) that they can use for wintering. The two sides are completely separated in the winter. George

[@anthonymauceri8919]

When is your production going to begin?

[@TheKeepersHive]

Early June will be crowd funding and preorders.

[@gingerbrimer8486]

When can I get my keeper hive?

[@TheKeepersHive]

Our crowd funding/ preorders will be in early June. Look forward to showing you more about the Keepers Hive in the coming months. George

[@wadebarnes6720]

I hope we don't get cold back up there because those are little

[@TheKeepersHive]

You are 100% correct about the size of the colonies in the nucs and the risk of putting them into a larger hive at this time. I use solid bottom boards on all the Keeper Hives. I also boosted those colonies with 2 frames of emerging brood with bees for the same reason... video to be coming soon. Thanks for sharing your comment..I knew the concern would be out there amongst some of the more seasoned beekeepers.

[@TheKeepersHive]

The use of the follower board helps too. Keep the brood chamber size appropriate for the colony size. This is my first rule when it comes to colony management. Most beekeepers who mainly use traditional Langstroth equipment do not have a lot of experience with using follower boards. In the Keepers Hive, the follower board can make the brood chamber size from 2 to 8 frames. Very useful for sure. George

[@drast1cone42]

Too bad these are illegal in ohio. (edit) @FrederickDunn my mistake. it was in regards to having multiple colonies in a hive. it is actually a regulation in Adams county Colorado. I'm setting up an apiary in Adams county Ohio.

[@FrederickDunn]

Is that right? I'd like to read more about that. What aspect is illegal? Thanks for any additional information you can provide.

[@TheKeepersHive]

There are some places that restrict the number of hives that beekeepers can keep on residential property. In addition, they often state the one hive can only have one colony so people don't try to cheat the system. I guess one could make a 20 ft long horizontal hive and keep 5 colonies in it and call it a single hive. Now that is a fun idea!

[@FrederickDunn]

@@TheKeepersHive Ok, I see how that goes :) Thanks!