# Open feeding with boardman feeders



## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

10/21/07 at 3:30 pm.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

crazy!!!! That is cool!


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## Jesus_the_only_way (Mar 17, 2006)

BB,
Where do you place the feeders? How far from the hives? Does it matter?
And is it better to use more small feeders than to use 1 big bucket?
Looks like they are doing fine in the pic.
Tom


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Looks like a good flow!


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Tom,
Although I do suggest that feeders be a good 100 feet or more from your hives, mine are only about 40 feet, if that.

Does it matter....Good one! I always laugh when I hear some suggest that open feeding will trigger robbing. Can it? Yes! But does it matter? No! here's why....

The first day you open feed, if your feeders are not a good distance from the hives, you will see bees flying everywhere. They know there is free food somewhere "off to the left", but they are not really sure where. So during this first day, you will see hives being tested by confused bees, looking for the feeders. (and you will probably think for the first time....man these bees don't navigate as good as I thought.  )

After the first day, the bees are homed in on the feeding station and all settles down.

I say it matters little for the robbing, and here's why. Its fall, the bees should be built up for winter, weak hives combined, entrances reduced. If your hives can not defend the entrance at this time.....THEY AIN'T MAKIN IT TILL SPRING!

The first day you open feed, just be aware that it can happen. Robbing can be a "domino" effect, so stopping it as soon as it starts is important.

I lose perhaps 1 or two nucs the entire year due to robbing. None today. This was the first day of feeding. This is the main yard with perhaps 15 support hives and 120 nucs.

If you look at that picture, I had the bees feeding on pollen sub for about a week. I put the syrup out for the first time this morning. It took them till noon to find it. I took the picture at 3:30, and by 6 pm, the feeders were all empty.

I just fill as many jars as I can to give as many bees as possible the opportunity to feed. I guess other containers would work.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

support colonies for queen rearing or nuc production?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Hey Chef,
Queen production.


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## Jesus_the_only_way (Mar 17, 2006)

Thanks BB. That helps out a lot.
Tom


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

BB

Interesting concept what ratio are you feeding 1:1 or 2:2? Looks like a good way to give them a boost as long as the weather allows flying. It has been way above normal here with abundant rainfall. I can’t remember last time we have had wildflowers blooming in late October. My hives are all heavy last year most were light and it was so cold and wet they couldn’t even take advantage of sugar syrup I was trying to feed them. And my losses last winter reflected that. 
I am a lot more optimistic on my hives winter survival this year.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

Looks like alot of work filling all those jars... Why not just use 5 gal buckets with straw or even 2 gal buckets or drums cut in half?

I guess you definately wouldn't have to worry about any bees drowning!


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Dan,
Now how am I supposed to get purdy pictures doing all that... 

I have used about everything else you can do. These are in a nuc yard and the only yard I feed, as these are usually the last nucs made for the season. 

It takes maybe 20 minutes to fill the jars early in the morning before the bees get active. And yes, hardly no bees killed, and not one drowned.

This is just thin syrup.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

BjornBee said:


> Dan,
> Now how am I supposed to get purdy pictures doing all that...
> 
> I have used about everything else you can do. These are in a nuc yard and the only yard I feed, as these are usually the last nucs made for the season.
> ...


What? A 5-gal plastic bucket sitting on a sheet of plywood ain't purdy? 

I'm hoping I have enough stores on my hives. Queens are still laying large patterns due to the weather. 80 deg on Sat. I'm still feeding as well.

Nuc yards are less able to withstand very many bee drownings so its probably not a bad idea to use this type of open feeding method.


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