When to add 2nd deep in a package into deadout...

[DonMcJr]

Installed 2 packages in deadouts that had 7 drawn frames each on April 14th. When do you think I should add my 2nd deeps of mostly not drawn comb?

I normally would look and see but its not really been warm enough for me to safely peek I side...might be Sunday though...

[blueblood]

When I add bees to drawn but empty comb, I revert back to 80% marker for filling the cells with pollen, honey and brood instead of drawing them out.  Maybe someone has a different idea but that is what I do.

[LazyBkpr]

I might even put them on a bit sooner. More bees will be emerging at once since they had the drawn comb to start with.

[tefer2]

A 3 lb pkg into a deep is plenty room until they have a complete brood cycle done.
Guess that's about now huh.
It's still cold over there Don. I'd wait for those 60F days coming next week.
Take a look then and see what you think. MTC

[Riverrat]

You can add the 2nd deep of foundation anytime. They wont move up into it until they think they need the room

[pistolpete]

If it's not freezing, then it's not too cold to crack the lid of the hive for a brief peek.  If your bees are occupying 80% of the frames then add another box, otherwise leave them.   They will have an easier time of keeping things warm without the second storey.   Once it warms up you can do a more detailed analysis.  A frame of capped brood will hatch out and cover two frames within a week on average.  A frame of uncapped brood will hatch out in about two weeks and cover two frames.  So you can anticipate the needs of your colony quite accurately.

[LazyBkpr]

Looking would be good..  the point I was trying to make is, if she had drawn comb, and went straight to laying.. five frames of brood will be ten frames of bees within a few days.

[DonMcJr]

Cool thanks...that what I figured and I was gonna wait for some 60's to check...today is 15 days since installing  so I should have new brood hatching next Saturday...