# mini nuc home made frame feeders



## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

I tested the bag with no additional support.









Here you see it with one quart of water:










2 quarts, as you can see that small hole is probably Ok for feeding, but a real bummer for filling. I quickly changed that to the larger opening.










3 quarts











I made the bladder & ladder a little longer than the frame, because when filled, it will shorten a bit as it becomes full










But without sides you get the bulge:









Restricting the sides reduces the volume to 1 1/2 quarts, but I wouldn't want to feed a mating nuc this size any more than that at one time anyway.

Below is the same size bag without sides, bulge restricted with a snug fitting follower board. If you have the room in your mating nucs, this would also work well. I left the exposed bag with 3 quarts hanging for quite a while. It never even came close to coming loose or failing with just staples holding the bag.










For the most part, I am happy with feeding with inverted mason jars though a screened 3" hole in my inner covers. I normally don't want to eliminate a frame to get an interior feeder in there.





















_* Except*_ for certain times of the year. When I combine these in fall into doubles, I'll have the room I need for this new feeder and will be able to get more feed into them to overwinter. Especially in late Sept/ October when that last round of brood is emerging and temps are cool.









I Wish I could actually put them to use befoe I make too many, be warned I have not used them yet. But I don't see any problems with their design at this point. I'll make up several and give them a try this spring, let you know if I see any changes that need to be made and how they hold up. Feel free to add any comments if you see something that could be improved or changed.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

That's an interesting idea
Thx


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

For the mating nucs I will put in extra protein, extra sugar and honey to 
keep the bees well fed. No need to put in the sugar syrup as that is an invitation of
robbing since I graft all year long up to mid-October. I don't have a separate mating nuc yard from the
production hives. Maybe cut a small piece out of the wood panel at the bottom corner to
see the syrup level.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

I wanted to add this photo, when adding the bag, staple on one end to hold it in place while you stretch the bag over the top bar. It is tight, If I had more than a few to make I'd use something like a shoe horn to make quicker work of the fitting. Staple on the other end after stretching, then fold over the sides for a double thickness of plastic and staple well.

View attachment 29346


View attachment 29349


My stapler, one of my favorite tools. Ridiculously cheap from Amazon. ( I paid $34.86 for it) I've used the heck out of it for 2 years and it still works like new. Light weight and takes standard Arrow staples.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EOJPC6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## fatshark (Jun 17, 2009)

I also don't like using syrup in my mating nucs so feed fondant instead in this sort of homemade framefeeder. I use Kieler polystyrene mini nucs. These have an integral feeder, but it takes up too much space. These inelegant little feeders are half the size, but there's no syrup to spill so the loaded mini nucs can be moved if needed.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Now go make some robbing screens for the nuc's and you've probably got a good combination.


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## justbee01 (Jan 5, 2017)

Awesome ideas! I was trying to figure out how to build frame feeders fully out of wood and seal them properly. I may try making a full wood feeder with sides, almost like what fatshark posted and put the plastic bags inside it. That would provide more strength and would be much easier than trying to seal wood!


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## Eric Walls (Feb 8, 2013)

Great idea! I'm trying to make some mini nucs to do some queen rearing this year. I followed
the directions on The Fat Bee Man site but can't figure out how to make the frames and what spacing.
If you don't mind me asking what are the dimensions of your nuc and how did you make your frames?


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## fatshark (Jun 17, 2009)

Not sure who the Q is aimed at Eric ... mine are commercial. Essentially 'top bar' mini-nucs manufactured by Kieler (and sold by these guys). I've also made my own that take a full-size tri-fold frame. A bit more fiddly to construct but they are now also made commercially. At the end of the queen mating season you simply use them to build up 2-3 frame nucs, without losing bees or brood.


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

Lauri,

I love this idea. Thanks for sharing. What mil thickness bag are you using?


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## tazke (Mar 23, 2015)

Fatshark,
Those folding frames are ingenious. Do they sag when used straight? When you have used them in your nuc do you have to clean/scrape them much to open them up straight?

Lauri,
This is Typical of your post. I am sure I am not the only person that says to themselves, dang I should have done it that way. I used sealer bags over the top bar of a frame. I cut the side open a few inches, slid it over the top bar and sealed it. It left a opening under top bar for the bees. You have fill them with a watering can with long slender spout. Entry was good, feeding was good, exiting was were they had problems. I never thought to figure out how to put a opening on top. It's not like I don't have a hundred frame feeders with the hole on top.


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## fatshark (Jun 17, 2009)

Hi tazke
I made those frames a few years ago. They're commercially available from Thorne's in the UK in Langstroth and National dimensions. Despite my poor DIY skills they both folded up pretty neatly and didn't sag when used unfolded. When unfolded the danger - when inspecting - is that the try and fold up on you, trapping bees or even the Q. To avoid this I considered using a little hook and eye combo on the opposite side to the hinge, but never got around to making the modification. I didn't have too many problems with the bees propilising things together. When they're folded they always unfolded easily - though it's a bit weird manipulating such a flexible frame. 

I've only used them a few times and haven't had the time to build lots more. These days I tend to use full 2-3 frame nucs because it better suits the time and resources I have for queen rearing. If I wanted to raise lots I'd use mini-nucs, like Kielers and Apideas. Queens get mated appreciably faster in them.


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