# Ultimate In-Hive Feeders



## TerriB (Apr 8, 2014)

Anyone use the ultimate in-hive feeder? They are the new ones that will hold 1 gallon of sugar syrup. The bottoms are blue and it says there are built in landing pads & steps to help prevent drowning. I was wondering how well these work & is there less drowning of the bees? Both Brushy Mountain & Dadant have them in their catalogs. I'd like to hear pros & cons from anyone that uses these. Thanks!


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## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

Build your own. Look on Youtube for FATBEEMAN no leak hive feeder.
Little to zero drowning.


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

I do not have first hand experience. However, I did visit a local beekeeping store last week and they have heard the feeder works well with 1:1 syrup but the sugar will sometimes crust up and clog with 2:1 syrup. The store did sell the product. True or not, I don't know. It does look like a pretty neat product though!


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## Davers (Aug 6, 2014)

I used one this year when I first received my package. They worked fine. I used 1 to 1 and had no problem.


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## TerriB (Apr 8, 2014)

Thanks for the info. I'm thinking I'll try one. I've tried several others, but most have lots of bees drowning.


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## labradorfarms (Dec 11, 2013)

As a new Beek. I tried em all..... The best thing I found is a one gallon paint can that lowes sells for 1.50...... Buy a couple drill a few very small holes in the lid fill it with Sugar syurp. Turn it upside down in the hive..... No drowned Bee's PERIOD!!!!! 
Ever feeder I have seen drowns bees !!!!!! I figure I cant afford to have bees drowning this time of year......

With hive top feeders I had up to maybe 50 or more bees drowned evertime I filled the feeders.....
I also like the bordman feeder but only if placed inside the hive as not to cause robbing!


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## Stingy (Dec 14, 2010)

I've got two of them and they really are great from the bee perspective. No drowners and no leakage, but they take a little more regular maintenance than other feeders. The syrup container has lettering embossed in the plastic that take a brush and some effort to get clean. I fed 2:1 last month and noticed the nozzle of the feeder about 10% plugged after a little more than a week, so probably not an issue if they are maintained regularly.

It might be worth the effort to find a different syrup container that would thread onto their nozzle. I think if the container were easier to maintain, it might be worth looking at for larger operations, but with this container, probably not feasible.


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## Bob Anderson (Jun 13, 2014)

I tried one and I wasn't impressed. The bees consumed 2:1 syrup faster with the ultimate feeder than with 4 x 1 qt mason jars so that was good but every time you go to refill the feeder a lot of bees get into the area where the syrup container rests on the base and they refuse to get out of the way when you put it back down so you squash a bunch of bees. OK, you might be able to smoke them off the base but I don't want to light a smoker just to refill a feeder... When I asked about this issue before I bought one I was told that you just brush the bees aside with your finger but when you have a lot of hungry bees they refuse to get out of the way. I'm making some of the feeders described above for next year.


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## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

I tried it this year and am willing to sell mine. some (not a lot) of dead bees. 5:3 syrup not sure if it clogged, but had to be jiggled to continue filling. The search for the perfect feeder goes on!


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## Bengoblue (Apr 10, 2012)

I used several this year with both 1:1 and 2:1 and the bees worked them relentlessly. I've noted very little problem while there was syrup in them, but after they are empty the bees can get up into the feeder as the plunger is compressed by the blue bottom, thus holding the tunnel open for the bees to get in and die as they seem to be unwilling, unable, to figure out how to get back down and out of the bottom. I also used them for watering stations and they worked beautifully as well. Is it he perfect feeder, not sure if there is such a thing, but with all of the parts being interchangable with each other, moving feeders around as needed isn't a problem at all. I'll use them until something else better comes along, but until then they are better than my previous methods using mason jars, baggie feeders etc.


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## rweaver7777 (Oct 17, 2012)

Bengoblue said:


> I'll use them until something else better comes along, but until then they are better than my previous methods using mason jars, baggie feeders etc.


Aside from the 1/2 gallon limitation of two mason jars, I like this product: http://beetlejail.com/product/feed-easy/. I allows you to service the jars without any protective clothing, as the bees are below the screen under the punched lids. With the ultimate feeder, you are open to the hive when you pop the cover. This screen thingy is super easy to make yourself. One could probably figure out how to make a 4-jar one.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

labradorfarms said:


> As a new Beek. I tried em all..... The best thing I found is a one gallon paint can that lowes sells for 1.50...... Buy a couple drill a few very small holes in the lid fill it with Sugar syurp. Turn it upside down in the hive..... No drowned Bee's PERIOD!!!!!
> Ever feeder I have seen drowns bees !!!!!! I figure I cant afford to have bees drowning this time of year......


What he said ^^^^^^


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## printerman (Apr 17, 2014)

I made this 4 top mason jar feeder. Has worked great so far...super easy to swap out jars!


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## TerriB (Apr 8, 2014)

I'm liking the mason jar design. I'll have to give this a try. With the plastic paint container, you are still opening up the hive & disturbing the bees. With this design, that would be eliminated. Thanks everyone for your input.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

No you aren't, you simply invert the bucket over a hole in the lid. All of my lids have a hole for that purpose. When not used for feeding I just place a small scrap of wood over it and the bees propolize it down. I never bother with covering the bucket with an empty box. I'm about 10 miles from you in Dixon south of Greenville.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

I tried using the feeder with 1:1, but it leaked. It didn't seem any better than an inverted bucket/pail/jar with holes punched in the lid, and wasn't as foolproof.

I've tried lots of feeders. I've yet to find something that is simple to use and doesn't drown a lot of bees.

This Spring, I will try 1 gallon glass jars with holes punched in the metal lids, placed over the screened hole of a Honey Run All-Season inner cover. I experimented with one example of this system this year and it worked well. The main drawback, to me, being needing an extra deep super to cover the jar.

I've tried a few examples of the top feeders, but I always end up with lots of drowned bees.

So far, my main feeder has been the Collins bucket feeders. They do get the job done without drowing bees. Their main drawback for me has been their limited volume requiring many refills. Plus, and they don't seem to work well when feeding through a screened inner cover hole, which then means the inverted bucket must be placed inside the hive and I to suit up to install/refill them.


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## TerriB (Apr 8, 2014)

Thanks guys for the feedback.


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