Author Topic: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?  (Read 2329 times)

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Offline Jen

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How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« on: March 06, 2017, 12:05:27 am »
Last season Apis walked me thru setting up nucs from the queen cells left in the hives from swarming. It was a lot of work but fun. However, our spring was so wrought with severe weather changes that queens had a hard time getting established. I finished up the swarm season with 8 nucs over the summer, but some fizzled, one died in the fall, and one died in mid winter. So, I have 3 nucs left that will survive the winter.

How much can I charge for overwintered nucs?

Then, in case I get to make splits before swarms hit the sky, how much can I charge for a split nuc?
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Offline Perry

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2017, 06:46:25 am »
Unless things have changed much as far as availability I would charge the same as last year.
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Offline Wandering Man

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2017, 08:14:55 am »
Do nucs sell pretty easily?
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Offline Jen

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2017, 11:36:58 am »
Wman, from what I read on this forum, those who sells nucs sell them all, and wish they had more to sell. I was at my farm girls meeting last week and one lady said she would like to buy a nuc from me. Word was out and I have all my nucs and one hive sold. Just have to wait for a 60-65 day to get in them and see what's going on and get them ready.
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Offline tedh

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2017, 09:09:43 pm »
I saw where one local supplier was advertising nucs (this spring) for $160.00.  Ted
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Offline Jen

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2017, 10:15:07 pm »
Hi Ted, yah I've been on craiglist and in my area the medium nucs are also selling for $160. Hmmmm
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Offline riverbee

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2017, 11:02:34 pm »
jen what did you sell them for last year?

4 frame nucs, 5 frame nucs, proven laying queen, cardboard, wooden to be returned?  i don't remember..... :P

when i purchase nucs they are either 4 frame or 5 frame with a proven laying queen (russian only) at 160- 165 american dollars.  an overwintered russian queen from the rhba. (i do get a discount for purchasing more than 1).

i have sold a few nucs from my own bees, for about 120 or 130, proven laying queen, mutts of a russian queen. probably could get more but i am not looking for problems and i don't like the problems associated with selling nucs. buy as is, but i do try to teach folks about what to do with a nuc.
sometimes i have asked for less, because i don't want/need the increase for myself.  many times i have given bees/nucs away.

about nucs:
the price of nucs and how they are made up are so variable. i wouldn't purchase any nuc without a proven laying queen and drawn frames that do have pollen and honey stores in them, and not some old ratty frames a beek is trying to cycle out or comes with problems i have to solve.

some selling nucs throw bees and a queen in an call it good and sell for a premium price.  this is not a nuc. this is just a box of bees with a queen in it.

i know this is not what are you are doing jen, you are just asking what a fair price is for a nuc you overwintered.  is the queen laying? is she laying well?
are all frames drawn? honey and pollen in them? good population?  mites........? did you treat, not treat?  queen genetics? 
be fair to yourself! and what you feel comfortable with!

about the craigslist ads jen, for nucs at 160, how are these advertised?
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Offline Newbee

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2017, 05:36:30 pm »
I've seen 160-185 out here (wooden nuc box you get to keep).

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Offline Jen

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2017, 07:14:17 pm »
Hi River, I didn't sell any last year, and haven't ever sold any. Apis walked me thru starting nucs from queen cells left behind from my first swarm. Loong cold spring so it got to late in the season to sell them, thus the overwintering.

Anyway, craigslist is selling nucs, meds, for $150 average. The ads are vague so I don't know the variables.

I have some bee club friends that want to buy from me, and I'll swing a deal for them. Prob $125
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Offline riverbee

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2017, 08:44:51 pm »
125-130 sounds good to me jen.

if craigslist ads are vague.........this is a clue....... ;)
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Offline vvand111

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2017, 09:18:43 pm »
They r for sale in my area for $105.00

Offline Riverrat

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2017, 09:41:42 pm »
Price what you think the market is and a little more. Its a lot easier to go down on price if they dont sell than to go up.   Market the nucs as coming with full support from you and get them signed up on the forum and we can all help succeed.  People will often pay more if they know they have support and help rather than having something dumped in there lap to figure out. Tell them you want them to be successful and you will do what ever it takes to help see that happens
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2017, 08:34:12 am »
I'm a little late on this subject, but thought I would add my 2 cents worth.
At the state beekeepers meeting I saw a flyer for nucs at $150.  I believe they were Italians, 5 frames and a 6th frame of brood available.  The cost of the 6th frame depended on how much brood was on it.  If the buyer didn't want the 6th frame, it would be used to make queens, so the flyer read.
The two men selling the nucs have reputations that are impeccable.  One man is one of the few commercial beekeepers left in the state.  The other, I heard give a demonstration about creating nucs.  He is such a detailed oriented man.  Every aspect of what he is doing has a reason.  He also has taken home several grand prize ribbons for bottled honey from the annual American Beekeeping Federation meetings.  I also heard him give a demonstration about how he achieves this.  Details, details, details.  At farmer's markets he gets big $$ for his honey.  He displays his ribbons next to his bottled honey and people flock to his booth.
I would buy a nuc from them in a heartbeat, if I needed one and I didn't have to drive halfway across the state to pick them up.
An email, from Kelley Bees, says they are selling nucs for $190.
So... after all that, I have to come to the conclusion that it is what ever the market will bear.
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Offline WantToBeeLady

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2017, 11:08:31 am »
Nuts are running at $160 in Ohio and hard to find.  They are sold out almost immediately, so they always have a waiting list.

Offline Riverrat

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2017, 11:13:35 am »
I'm a little late on this subject, but thought I would add my 2 cents worth.
At the state beekeepers meeting I saw a flyer for nucs at $150.  I believe they were Italians, 5 frames and a 6th frame of brood available.  The cost of the 6th frame depended on how much brood was on it.  If the buyer didn't want the 6th frame, it would be used to make queens, so the flyer read.
The two men selling the nucs have reputations that are impeccable.  One man is one of the few commercial beekeepers left in the state.  The other, I heard give a demonstration about creating nucs.  He is such a detailed oriented man.  Every aspect of what he is doing has a reason.  He also has taken home several grand prize ribbons for bottled honey from the annual American Beekeeping Federation meetings.  I also heard him give a demonstration about how he achieves this.  Details, details, details.  At farmer's markets he gets big $$ for his honey.  He displays his ribbons next to his bottled honey and people flock to his booth.
I would buy a nuc from them in a heartbeat, if I needed one and I didn't have to drive halfway across the state to pick them up.
An email, from Kelley Bees, says they are selling nucs for $190.
So... after all that, I have to come to the conclusion that it is what ever the market will bear.

Would this be Mr Jerry Brown.  He is a great guy
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2017, 08:24:00 pm »


Would this be Mr Jerry Brown.  He is a great guy


No, I don't know him.  It's Jim Kellie and Norbert Neal.

Offline tecumseh

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Re: How Much To Charge For A Nuc?
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2017, 06:40:35 am »
I sell mine here for $160 as 4 frame nucs in a Jester EZ Nuc Box.  The box is well populated with bees and brood.  I remove one frame (for many folks that supply nucs this 5 frame is a new frame and foundation or a frame feeder) in order to limit excessive crowding and over heating.

It appears the nuc market is quickly becoming saturated and this as a business strategy to generate income will soon be no more.  The same supply situation may be quickly developing in the commercial beekeeping world.  There are some economic realities that cannot be totally glossed over with bs.