What feed?

[steveselvage]

I have two small colonies that i retreived from large bird boxes and put them into brood boxes full of foundation.
I have been feeding them with syrup and honey recovered from the nests but they are emptying the feeders in a couple of days (about 3 litres per hive per day) and i dont want to keep disturbing them.
Can i give then a chunk of fondant instead?

 

[BKF Admin]

Yes steve fondant is fine if you have some.

Just make sure after a week that they are not filling up the comb with stores leaving the queen no place to lay.

 

[steveselvage]

Thanks, i will put some in over the weekend as ive refilled the feeders today.
I got some fondant from the local bakers and he has offered to save all his "used sugar" for me if i want it, apparently its the stuff left when they have rolled doughnuts and suchlike in it. I said yes please but im not sure how ill clean it up though.

 

[Frisbee]

apparently its the stuff left when they have rolled doughnuts and suchlike in it. I said yes please but im not sure how ill clean it up though.

That will be fairly clean, it may have fat in it, not really a problem for the bees, make it into a syrup feed using water the same as you would using "new" sugar, if there are too many lumps in it you could always put it through a strainer.

Frisbee