Feeding paynes Nuc

[beesleybees]

Hi guys,

I have 3 newish swarms that I want to feed to help them draw out the foundation. Doesn't seem much forage about at the minute but I'm worried about rooting as I lost one Nuc a few weeks ago to robbing (my own fault)

I have filled the feeder compartments in the nucs with newspaper as they tend to start building comb in there after a couple if weeks making it hard to inspect, plus lots of bees tend to drown


How much 1:1 syrup would you say is enough for a Nuc to draw out the 6 frames of foundation and how can I give it them with leaving it next to the Nuc and promoting robbing? Was toying with the idea of making a hole in the lid but how would it fix the hole when not feeding

Advice appreciated

 

[Swarm]

Do you have the 'eke' for this paynes poly? If so, quick and easy remedy is an ice cream container with a handful of straw in it to prevent drowning. Place this on the top bars with the eke around it, cover and roof.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have filled the feeder compartments in the nucs with newspaper as they tend to start building comb in there after a couple if weeks making it hard to inspect, plus lots of bees tend to drown

Why inspect the feed chamber?

Spoke to an old hand yesterday (65 years experience!) and he has quite a few poly nucs now and his advice was - don't worry. concerned about drowning? brace comb in the feed chamber gives the bees a natural ladder to get in and out to feed. Never looked at it from that viewpoint!

 

[Roola]

i converted mine to remove the feed container then use a plastic frame feeder I can get in and out to clean etc... avoids a sludge of dead bees collecting in the bottom.

 

[beesleybees]

Why inspect the feed chamber?

Spoke to an old hand yesterday (65 years experience!) and he has quite a few poly nucs now and his advice was - don't worry. concerned about drowning? brace comb in the feed chamber gives the bees a natural ladder to get in and out to feed. Never looked at it from that viewpoint!

It's not just brace comb mate, they fill it completely with brood comb which I cant inspect. They could make queen cells in there too soon that I wouldn't be able to see.

Haven't got an eek but I will buy one now. Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's not just brace comb mate, they fill it completely with brood comb

Piece of plastic queen excluder across the entrance to the feed area.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dreadful thing, that feeder. I got rid and the nuc now holds eight frames, add an eke and put a nuc feeder on top of a feeder board.

 

[mbc]

It's not just brace comb mate, they fill it completely with brood comb which I cant inspect. They could make queen cells in there too soon that I wouldn't be able to see.

Remove some sealed brood before they get this large or put them in a larger box, cramping them until they're building slabs of brood in the feeder is misguided IMHO

 

[theeggman]

Add a piece of tape over the feeder to stop bee entry, add an eke with a lump of thin ply as a cover board with a suitable sized hole and shove a 4 pt. rapid feeder over the hole.

The rapid feeder fits inside the eke and Bob's your relative.

Tim.

Been there, done it, it does work.

 

[Anduril]

Piece of plastic queen excluder across the entrance to the feed area.

I also use the anti slip masonry paint, very few bees drowned. A bit more expensive and lazy but I find it works.

 

[jd101k2000]

Mine came with two bits of plastic... one was queen excluder to stop the queen getting into the feeder. The other is just plastic to stop anything getting into the feeder.

As long as the float is in the feeder, nothing drowns.

They work for my bees. I know other people have had problems.

 

[hedgehog66]

I bought something similar to this of fleabay 181314547304
Fits through entrance and bees can still get in and out
And you can see when its empty

Off to dismantle a nuc to modify it to hold 8 frames
Will a stanly knife do the job ?....

 

[jd101k2000]

A hot wire would be better.

 

[hedgehog66]

Dont have one
Would a soldering iron work ?.......
Any suggestions on making a hot wire please

 

[k9rml]

I cut some of the mesh off a fireguard the width and depth of the feeder and taped it to the inside of the feeder wall, no problem with drowning or brace comb

 

[hedgehog66]

Erica

How did you convert yours to 8 frames
I dont want to butcher mine but sounds like a great idea

What did you use

Probably not a good idea to go and do it now after a bottle of white and in middle of amazing thunder storm.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just chopped and cut with a chisel and a saw.
Worth it though. Nice and cosy and your colony is up to 8 frames when you get it into a full size hive

 

[hedgehog66]

Thanks erica

I think ill wait until tomorrow

More wine needed .......

 

[Teemore]

Get a piece of foam, the length of the feeder, and stuff it in. Leave it lebel with the top of the feeder. It keeps the bees out of the feeder, even when you are inspecting.

 

[Swarm]

Get a piece of foam, the length of the feeder, and stuff it in. Leave it lebel with the top of the feeder. It keeps the bees out of the feeder, even when you are inspecting.

I don't see the point in removing it to allow eight frames, Spring colonies are smaller than that and they've just come through Winter in a hive.