⚖️ Hive Weight Gain Tracker

Enter two hive scale readings with their dates to see the average daily weight change — a rising rate signals a good nectar flow.

First reading date

First reading weight (lbs)

Second reading date

Second reading weight (lbs)

Two readings, one rate

The tracker compares two scale readings and spreads the difference evenly over the days between them:

days   = second date - first date   (never below 0)
change = second weight - first weight
rate   = change / days             (0 when days is 0)

The page opens with 80 lbs on 1 May and 95 lbs on 11 May: 10 days, a change of +15.0 lbs and an average of +1.50 lbs/day. A drop is reported the same way, as a negative change and a negative rate. If the second date is the same as the first, or earlier, the day count clamps to 0 and the rate is shown as 0.00 rather than an error.

Getting readings that compare

Weigh the same stack. Boxes, frames and bees are all in the figure, but their weight cancels out of the change - unless you added or pulled a super between readings, which breaks the comparison entirely.
Weigh at the same time of day. A hive read at midday with the foragers out is lighter than the same hive at dawn.
Rain counts. A soaked roof and wet timber add pounds that have nothing to do with nectar.
Longer gaps smooth the noise. A week or ten days averages out a single cold day better than an overnight pair does.

This tool measures change, not sufficiency. It cannot tell you whether a colony is heavy enough for winter: target overwintering weights depend on your climate, hive type and colony size, and the figure your local beekeeping association publishes is the one to work to.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to subtract the weight of the hive boxes?

No. As long as the same equipment is on the stand for both readings, the tare cancels out when the first weight is subtracted from the second.

What does a negative lbs/day figure mean?

The hive weighed less at the second reading than the first, so stores went down over that window - the colony consumed more than it brought in, or something was removed from the stack.

Why is my rate showing 0.00 lbs/day?

The two dates are the same, or the second one is earlier than the first. The day count is floored at zero, and the rate is reported as zero rather than dividing by it.