Todd's Hive Configuration

[NormCounterman]

Todd, did I read right that you run one deep and one western?
You know that I run two deeps, taught the boys to do the same, and use westerns for supers.
I ask because I have noticed that many of the fellows and gals that I consider to be exceptionaly good beekeepers run something similar to your configuration.
(if i heard you right)
Years ago I ran into a fellow from your area named Kerr.
I don't remember his first name.
Good Christian fellow!
In fact he tried to save my soal, AGAIN!
I finally told him that being born twice was quite enough; no need for a third time.
ANYWAY, he had a really interesting program for the rotation of the different size supers.
Or wait a minute....Maybe he ran a deep and a medium...
I don't remember.
How do you do the rotation during the year?
Does all of this talk about running 6, 8, 12 deeps high interest you?
Keep up the good work, anyway
Norm Counterman

[Todd Balsiger]

Ugh! I had to retype this whole thing. Didn't enter my name... Okay. His name. Andy. Andy Kerr. 6-8 supers? I wasn't part of that conversation, never had that many.

We both run one deep and one western. We both run the western on the top during the honey flow. Kerr places a queen excluder between the deep and the western; I only separate the honey supers. Nevertheless, by the end of the honey flow, our hive configurations will be remarkably similar. The western on top will then be mostly honey (lesser amounts pollen, brood and drone brood), and the deep below mostly brood (lesser amounts honey, pollen, and empty space). Now, when I rotate August 1, all the brood and available empty space comes up where it will be readily exposed to the medications (you don't want to dig to either put in or retrieve the meds, spring or fall) . Also, space is created for winter bee production. The bees will shuffle the honey below up (and collect more too). Jumping back regarding the western on top, the bees tend to raise their drone brood higher up, just below the honey barrier. I prefer to have drone brood in my western frames. Going forward through winter into spring, the bees have now moved up into the deep. Time to treat again with meds (they're right there again). And when you do your spring rotation (swarm control), you're less likely to divide brood. Okay, it's late; I'm struggling. George Hansen does it the same way apparantly...

I need bear advice now. I'll create a new thread.