# Feral swarm caught...do I feed them?



## CaBees (Nov 9, 2011)

ok all, quit looking and give me some answers! Do you all feed your swarms? This is my first....


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

If they're a natural swarm, then there's plenty of forage available (of else they wouldn't have swarmed) and they brought a couple days worth of food with them (in their honey stomachs). I don't feed swarms; it's pretty needless unless you have a late frost or a week of solid rain.


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

Sure. Why not?


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## dkvello (Apr 2, 2010)

Feed Feed Feed. They need the energy to draw wax out. If they are out foraging or transfering necture from foragers they are not drawing out wax. By some counts it takes 8 pounds of Necture to make a pound of wax. Once they get the brood chambers drawn out you can quit.


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## Sully1882 (Jul 18, 2011)

I'd feed too... feed as long as they are taking it and then quit if they aren't taking it. 

Sully


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Feeding will help with drawing wax and will also stimulate the queen so she could get fat once again and start laying.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Put in a frame of brood in the center. If you don't want to give up worker brood, use drone brood to make sure they stay and feed 1:1 until they draw out the first box.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

Feed, add brood, and congratulations!


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I have no problem with absconding and never add brood. I think that is more of problem on small cell and plastic foundation. I find that feeding early swarms a quart or two can make them into producing hives the first summer.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

You should feed your hives through spring and summer Ollie.


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## quevernick (Feb 22, 2011)

I tried not feeding swarms this year since I figured there was plenty of forage around and about. My first 2 swarms took off on me so I've started feeding the swarms again. Last year I fed all of the swarms I got and never had any take off on me. Not sure if that was exactly the reason that the swarms left this year but its my current working theory


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