# Division board or hive top feeder



## JMP (Mar 28, 2011)

What do you folks prefer and why? 

I've been using the old style Brushy Mountain Bee hive top feeder with wood floats (just took a lot of my bees for swimming lessons and most failed). The plastic Brushy Mountain hive top feeder was recommended by many of you. Very little if any drowning. I am leaning toward this one. However, what about division board feeders? I can see some advantages and disadvantages to both types and would like to hear your thoughts. Thanks all. 

John


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## beehonest (Nov 3, 2011)

I have the mann lake hive top feeders and the inner covers with the hole big enogh for a jar lid. I like the mann lake because it holds a lot and I just have to open the top and pour in the syrup. The only dowside is in the fall they seem to stop feeding sooner and they want to build bur comb in it. Then I use a mason jar on the inner cover with a super around it, they will still eat out of it. I tried a division board and did not like it, to much drowning and a pain to fill.


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## JohnBeeMan (Feb 24, 2004)

I tried the divison feeder when I was first starting beekeeping. I drown more bees that I helped. Over the past year I have been constructing my own hive top feeders for both full sized hives and 5 frame nucs. I made them only 3 inches deep so they do not hold as much as the beemax type feeders. However at the end of fall feeding I place candy boards on top frames and flip the HTF over to form a shim. I leave these on all winter adding pollen patties to candy feed by first of Febuary.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

I have and like the mannlake hive top feeders. I do recommend using a calk/silicon around the edges of the screen to keep it in place and make sure you don't have a bunch of drownings. This crazy weather we are having with a hivetop feeder is awesome. Plenty of pollen and with the feeder plenty of "nectar". I had a hive explode even though I've robbing them of pollen,honey, and babies to help nucs and other hives out. Watch your fingers on the mannlake's, the screws they send are a little long and will poke you if you put your finger in the wrong place.

Rod


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

I typically use the Mann Lake hive top feeders with great success. Last year I bought a couple of division board feeders and ended up with a lot of drowned bees. The feeders I used have textured sides for the bees to climb on. I even put a piece of SS mesh in the feeder and still had a bunch of drowned bees. This winter I bought the cap and ladders for the feeders so I want to see if they make a difference this spring with my new packages. Do you all use the cap and ladders in the division board feeders?


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Neither....

I prefer to use ziplok baggie feeders on top of the inner cover. No fuss, no muss.


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## pannu96 (Mar 7, 2012)

Try these, http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-pcs-Drink...ltDomain_0&hash=item4ab57503c5#ht_2161wt_1165
I love these feeders, just put a jar on top of the this and no bees will drown, trust me. JUst put it in the hive, cover with a deep super and top cover and done. It works like a charm.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Neither...I like gallon cans directly on top of the bees. No need to break cluster to get at feed. Better in cold weather. Cheaper.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

And no drowned bees, storage problem or large up front expense. The cluster keeps it warm enough the syrup is always available.


Fuzzy said:


> Neither....
> 
> I prefer to use ziplok baggie feeders on top of the inner cover. No fuss, no muss.


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## jdpro5010 (Mar 22, 2007)

Well I can see that I am one of the few who like division board feeders. They are cheap and easy to use. I do not use any ladders or wire in my feeders and have *NO* trouble with drowning of any significant amounts. The *only* time I have drowning issues is in a unhealthy hive. The baggie feeders are a dead hive waiting to happen in my mind. The top feeders are very convenient but entirely too expensive! The gallon jug above the frames is the next best system but then you have to handle all the containers all the time and find a place to store them when not in use. when the temps are below 40 or 50 the bees won't take syrup any how so the breaking of a cluster to take syrup is not a factor in my mind.


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## Clay (Feb 18, 2011)

jdpro5010 said:


> Well I can see that I am one of the few who like division board feeders. They are cheap and easy to use. I do not use any ladders or wire in my feeders and have *NO* trouble with drowning of any significant amounts. The *only* time I have drowning issues is in a unhealthy hive.


Wow, no trouble with drowning? Do you use floats? Do you only use Deep division board feeders? 

I've used both Deep and Medium division board feeders, and the Mediums especially had a terrible time with the drowning. The hive top feeders so far have worked best for me, but I would prefer using the division board feeders if the drowning wasn't so bad.


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## JMP (Mar 28, 2011)

Lots of folks seem to like baggies. Seems very straightforward. Yes? No?


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Baggies are wonderful in cold weather. Do not use them unless you can be careful about making sure they are well sealed and then when you place them, ONLY cut your short slits in the top side of the baggie. If you can do that, you can feed syrup at twenty degrees as the cluster keeps the syrup warm and you non't drown a single bee.


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## Moccasin (May 18, 2010)

What I like are the large plastic entrance feeders from Brushy Mountain. I put an empty brood box over the inner covers and feed them that way.I never get robbing or drowned bees. I also open feed with them in a group a ways from the hives. To get a weak hive started open feeding I put a lip of the feeder in the entrance for about ten minutes then take it to the feeding area with the bees along for the ride. They fill up and tell the rest of the hive where the open feeding location is. This works for me very well when feeding is absolutely necessary like in our drought last year or starting new hives at bad times of the year. It is very cheap and they are easy on the bees.


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## Moccasin (May 18, 2010)

Here is my girlfriend demonstrating the versatility of the Brushy Mountain Large Plastic Entrance Feeders. http://youtu.be/7Pl-PXVxmgE


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## jdpro5010 (Mar 22, 2007)

Clay, it has been my experience that if your hive is healthy you will have very little to no drowning (100) bees. If your hive has more drowning than that there is something else wrong. I use no real float style systems, maybe just a stick or something at most.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

This one used to be the kind with floats... until I added the #8 hardware cloth...
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/MillerFeeder2.jpg


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

I've tried division board feeders, baggie feeders, and hive top feeders. My preference is hive top feeders.
Division board - have to remove all equipment above it to feed them, exposing colony to inclement weather if feeding then. Had drowning problems.
Baggies - loved them at first, until I had to inspect a hive with partially filled baggie, promptly had a mess. Not too bad to add a new bag when old one is partially full. Again, in inclement weather, entire top of colony exposed.
Haven't used cans or jars on top, so can't speak to that.
Hive top feeders come in various configurations, each with it's own advantage and disadvantage. I've used Miller style, which develops leaks after a while, and had problems with drowning. Best luck I've had has been with the black plastic tray type, wire entrance running down the middle. Caulk the wire at the ends, keeps bees from figuring out how to get into the syrup and drown.
fwiw
Regards,
Steven


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