how many hives is to much

[irishguy]

Just curious to know how many hives is to much to start with. I'm near sure I remember some saying on here its best to start with 2, some even suggested 1 and just recently when I was on the phone to the Secretary of our association looking advice after my bees swarmed, I told him I started with 2 overwintered hives and was left with 2 hives and 3 nucs after the bees split, he told me that 2 was to much in my first year.

Now! I've been scratching my head ever since as to why he'd say such a thing because to me, I can't have enough hives so I went and bought another one on Sunday(well me and a friend went halfers on it)

When my hives did swarm, I was running about like a headless chicken but now they did, I've learnt quite a lot from them doing so and will be well prepared for next year.

 

[pargyle]

Looking at some of your posts I reckon one hive was too many in your first year !

Sorry ... Hope you get some beekeeping books for Christmas ..

 

[irishguy]

Looking at some of your posts I reckon one hive was too many in your first year !

Sorry ... Hope you get some beekeeping books for Christmas ..

Lol but learning the hard way is usually the best IMO.

 

[Alabamaeee]

I think two is the ideal starting point, gives you a bit of insurance as overwintering both doubles your chances of having bees to work with in the following spring!

You can get a frame of eggs from one if the other goes mysteriously queenless and they don't have any eggs to work with, or you want to test if there is a queen in residence.

Your learning is twice as fast (debatable).

Downside is you need two sets of A/S kit for swarming season

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looking at some of your posts I reckon one hive was too many in your first year !

..

Beat me to it

 

[ratcatcher]

I've had bees for 3yrs now, my first year I had one swarm, into a nuc, then into a national (I had dabbled with TBH before this and lost two swarms) being a pestie, and the fact that my mentor had 30 plus hives, I could have had a lot more, but Ive always said, learn to walk before you run, so stuck with one hive for the first two years, it's only this year that I've expanded my colonies, and personally, think that was the best way to go

 

[domino]

What I love about this hobby is that is scales very well. I started with one hive and then went to 2.

For me 4-6 is probably my limit in terms of time I would have to do it properly. I'll probably end this year with 6 hives.

The risk is that you can't over extend yourself and just build up a dozen hives and run out of time.

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

I've had bees for 3yrs now, my first year I had one swarm, into a nuc, then into a national (I had dabbled with TBH before this and lost two swarms) being a pestie, and the fact that my mentor had 30 plus hives, I could have had a lot more, but Ive always said, learn to walk before you run, so stuck with one hive for the first two years, it's only this year that I've expanded my colonies, and personally, think that was the best way to go

I started with one hive, and lost them after two years, so I am starting again with one hive. It may cost me in money and effort if I have to beg a frame of eggs one day, but I am not willing to experiment with my ineptitude on live animals

 

[irishguy]

I started with one hive, and lost them after two years, so I am starting again with one hive. It may cost me in money and effort if I have to beg a frame of eggs one day, but I am not willing to experiment with my ineptitude on live animals

But where's the fun in starting with one. That will take years of learning, getting more hives IMO you learn more quicker.

Can I ask you all your ages who have posted. I'm thinking yous are all on the old side and don't really like taking risks in life, me on the other hand is young and willing to go at it with taking as many risks as possible. The only thing that can go wrong is I lose a few pound and sure, the way I see that, its only money! As for my beekeeping already, I'm loving every min of it and any negatives I've had are really positives because I've learnt from it. Sure as the aul saying goes, why do u think they put rubbers on the end of pencils!!

 

[Tdf]

Started off helping the grandfather, he had about 150 hives at the time and looking back it was the way to go, there was none of this messing around just a no nonsense approach

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can I ask you all your ages who have posted. I'm thinking yous are all on the old side and don't really like taking risks in life


If youth is wasted on the young then wisdom must be wasted on the old

 

[irishguy]

Started off helping the grandfather, he had about 150 hives at the time and looking back it was the way to go, there was none of this messing around just a no nonsense approach

Now this sounds like fun to me. Why mess about with 1 hive when you can learn with 150. Wish I was in your shoes back then

 

[pargyle]

But where's the fun in starting with one. That will take years of learning, getting more hives IMO you learn more quicker.

Can I ask you all your ages who have posted. I'm thinking yous are all on the old side and don't really like taking risks in life, me on the other hand is young and willing to go at it with taking as many risks as possible. Sure as the aul saying goes, why do u think they put rubbers on the end of pencils!!

Many a good tune played on an old fiddle ...

You should take time to remember the old joke about the Young bull and the Old bull ... The gate is open and the field of cows is just down the hill - the young bull says to the old bull ' Quick the farmer's left the gate open - lets rush down and do one or two ...' the Old bull says ' No .. lets saunter down slowly then do the lot of them ...' ~ Cleaned for family viewing....

Fools rush in ....

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

"The only thing that can go wrong is I lose a few pound and sure, the way I see that, its only money!"

Would it be different with different animals? Would it be right to buy a herd of 150 cows with no idea or experience? Helping someone else with their 150 hives and getting experience is a good way to learn, but I don't have the opportunity. To me money is not the issue, good animal husbandry is. One or two hives suits me, I am in no hurry.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Having more than 1 hive doesn't necessarily mean you will learn lots quicker just means you can make the same mistake more than once.

I started with 2 last august as 2 hives gives you more options if your in a mess.

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

But where's the fun in starting with one. That will take years of learning, getting more hives IMO you learn more quicker.

Can I ask you all your ages who have posted. I'm thinking yous are all on the old side and don't really like taking risks in life, me on the other hand is young and willing to go at it with taking as many risks as possible. The only thing that can go wrong is I lose a few pound and sure, the way I see that, its only money! As for my beekeeping already, I'm loving every min of it and any negatives I've had are really positives because I've learnt from it. Sure as the aul saying goes, why do u think they put rubbers on the end of pencils!!

Jesus
You definitely know how to make friends on here

 

[irishguy]

Jesus
You definitely know how to make friends on here

I thought it was only women who got all fussed over asking their age lol

 

[BrianO]

Originally Posted by Irishguy

Can I ask you all your ages who have posted. I'm thinking yous are all on the old side and don't really like taking risks in life,

Jesus
You definitely know how to make friends on here

Brilliant !!!

Who needs a Telly !!!

 

[Jeff Buzz]

Have I logged onto the the wrong website everyone is Irish its a lot more fun than that English website ;-)

 

[Jeff Buzz]

I personally think go for get as many going as you can you soon learn then...