Have I done the right things....

[simonforeman]

As title says and and other advice please.... lifted all 4 hives and 2 were light, 1 was ok ish and the other couldn't move due to weight.All are cedar and have 50mm kingspan in roof.
Hive 1 very heavy bought in carni queen this year Nat bb with full super honey not touched yet. I just added a slab of fondant on top of crown board just to be sure. Bees flying today in 8 degrees.
Hive 2 14x12 bb only very light but at least 7 frames of bees so 2kg slab on top of frames eke and crown board back on.
Hive3 light on double Nat bb again only took off crown board and 8 frames of bees in top box. 2kg slab of fondant straight onto of frames eke and put back together.
Hive 4 had allot of weight but not as heavy as Hive 1. Nat bb with 3/4 super as looks like they have started it. Bees on all frames so again 1.5kg fondant onto top of frames eke and back together.

All 4 look to be still big colony with loads of bees so am I on the right track. I plan now to leave them until well into the new year before checking if they need anymore fondant, is this ok???

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would have added nothing to hive 1 - only going to cause you issues in the spring

 

[enrico]

Feeding is a fine art, especially when you are not used to hefting the hives. If it was 8degrees it may have been worth lifting a frame in the light hive just to see if there were stores. I wouldn't say you had done anything wrong better to err on the side of caution. But ...... A moderate to heavy hive needs no food. A very light hive does!
E

 

[simonforeman]

Thanks both.... I can take off hive 1 as it is only on top of the crown board.

 

[drex]

Feeding sugar in any form is a balancing act. Do not want to feed so much that there is no room for queen to lay or for them to store pollen ( without which they can raise no new bees), nor that there is loads left over so that it has to be removed so it does not contaminate Spring honey.
However in my early days I erred on the side of caution, not wanting them to starve. I suggest you heft frequently, so that you get used to the feel. In time you will get to trust your own judgement.
I certainly would not have given fondant to hive 1 and most likely hive 4 neither, but it would not have been a catastrophe had I done so.