# which feeder is best?



## blm (Sep 8, 2017)

Which feeder is best to use I have read good and bad about all of them.


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## vtbeeguy (Jun 10, 2016)

Kinda vague question the situation and what you're trying to accomplish can all influence the decision. I would say entrance feeders are garbage that cause robbing. Gallon paint can on inner cover with empty hive body (credit Mike Palmer) works great for packing on weight for winter, or for stimulating brood rearing. I have a couple hive too feeders I'm not crazy about then but they're ok. If temps are below 50 don't feed syrup make sugar bricks.


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## blm (Sep 8, 2017)

With the paint can do you leave the lid off or keep it on and drill holes in it like with the mason jar feeders.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

I prefer bucket/can type feeders for internal feeding. Draw back is that you have to monitor it as the bees can draw comb on the inside of the box that covers the container. I have done internal frame feeders and no matter what I always end up with dead bees that drown. I recently saw a video on Commercial bee keeper up in Canada where he uses the same plastic 3.5 gallon buckets I do, but he puts them on the exterior lid with a drilled hole that can accept a cap. Got me thinking that all I need to do is drill a hole and plug it with a piece of cork I suppose.


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## orthoman (Feb 23, 2013)

blm said:


> With the paint can do you leave the lid off or keep it on and drill holes in it like with the mason jar feeders.


Lid on with small holes in the lid —- just like the Mason jar — fill can, put perforated lid on, put in hive with lid side down over inner cover hole.


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## ApricotApiaries (Sep 21, 2014)

I really like the Mann Lake pro feeders with cap and ladder. Or something similar like Mother Lode. The Mann lake feeders are more pricey but I think they are higher quality. Feeding from the top probably works better in some situations but its extra gear to shlep around. The frame feeders stay in the hive year round so they are always there when you need them, and puts the feed right next to the cluster. And no risk of it blowing away in strong winds.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

I use the Betterbee styrofoam hive top feeder. No drowned bees and I don't have to lose a deep to cover a paint can. It holds up to 5 gallons of syrup but I only feed 1 gallon at a time. I use mason jar feeders in my nucs with a screen over the hole in the inner cover to hold the jar and keep bees from getting out when filling the jars. I cover the jar with a medium and then the top.


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## larrypeterson (Aug 22, 2015)

I have used about all the above mentioned, feeders. This winter I am making up a few "Fat Bee Man feeders" that utilize a two-gallon plastic container that the bees access by a wire ladder up and over from a hole in the solid bottom of the feeder. We made three of these feeders last year and I really liked them. It may not be cost effective with large apeairies but for side liners and back yard beekeepers it eliminates a lot of problems with robbing and control of feeding. Joe May has a really good tutorial on you-tube. I hope this might be helpful for someone. Best wishes, LP


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

I only use division board feeders. I run them year round. 10 frames in the bottom box and 8 frames in the top with the feeder. Always there when I need it. Never need to bring extra crap with me from bee yard to bee yard.


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## rjphil (Feb 13, 2009)

+1 for the Mann Lake 2 gallon division board feeders. I don't use the cap and ladders, just float something in there for them to stand on.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

I like the 4 gallon Mann Lake top feeders. It is probably the most expensive way to go, but here is what I like:

1. I don't have to get into the hive.
2. I can throw 4 gallons of 5:2 on them in the Fall and they will pack out a super with it in less than a week. One shot deal. That, plus all honey left in the brood chamber, will carry them until stimulative feeding in the Spring.

As I am aging, I am becoming much more lazy than thrifty.


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## TexasFreedom (Feb 25, 2016)

I've had best luck with the Mann Lake 2-frame ladder feeder. I've tried the Mann Lake top feeder with mixed results. Sometimes works perfect, sometimes I find 1000 dead bees. So not so fond of it any more. A friend uses a chicken feeder, puts a large-diameter rope to fill the round 'trough' which wicks up & gives the bees something to stand on. Several in our club use that with success.

I wouldn't use an entrance feeder if you gave it to me. How about a link to that Fat Man's feeder, I'd be curious.

PSM said: _As I am aging, I am becoming much more lazy than thrifty. _
Amen brother, I'm right there with you.


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## blm (Sep 8, 2017)

I think that I am going to try the Mann lake frame feeder as it seems to be the most popular one.


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## TexasFreedom (Feb 25, 2016)

Quick note:I just looked up the fat man's bee feeder. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enAEUmUloUo

I actually have one or two of those. They actually do work really well. The only downside is that I fear the cheap little aluminum pan I have will get a leak (it hasn't yet). But it would be really easy to change out. It works like the Mann Lake top feeder, but I've never seen drowned bees in it. The negative is capacity, it might hold a gallon (depends on your pan size). But not drowning far exceeds the capacity concern (since the hives are only 500 ft from my house). A local fellow was selling them.

So I'll rotate it to the top of my list. Advantage being that you don't have to open the hive to feed and no drownings.


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## exmar (Apr 30, 2015)

I swear by the hive top feeder with wooden floats. Holds almost four gallons of syrup, put one on, feed, about a week later, remove to another hive or storage. I've read on here that some folks feel that they drown bees, I haven't found that in four years of use. Only a hobbyist with 4 hives. One thing I do believe in, if you need to feed, FEED. Go with a feeder that will hold a minimum of a gallon, more is better. Think about it, if you're trying to get them ready for winter or build up in spring you don't want to keep going in and disrupting the hive.


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## larrypeterson (Aug 22, 2015)

EXMAR,
Let me elaborate on the "Fat Bee Man Feeder" and explain that the "nuc feeder" holds one and a half gallons of syrup. I have two that sit on the 10 frame box that holds two gallons . I have been routinely using the Mannlake top feeders also with good results. I am a bit cautious putting in more feed than they will clean up in a week. During the peak nector flow my bees are really reluctant to use much syrup. Some folks indicate that the syrup will ferment if left too long in warm weather. I havent had any problem with this, however, I am still reluctant to leave it unused for too long. I discovered that the "Fat Bee Man top feeder" will work on all boxes regardless of their size. I simply lay a flat board over the open portion of the larger box that the feeder does not cover. When used on a smaller nuc, the solid bottom just hangs out over the edge. The small bottom opening is the only part that is accessable from inside the hive box. I install a vent wheel on either end of the box. This allows me to remove 5 screws from the botom board and it is a fully usable nuc box complete with frame rabbits to accomadate the regular franes. As a matter of preferance I make up a deep ten frame hive body and saw it in half to make two nucs. I then add a 3/4 inch spacer and a new side to make a slightly wider five frame nuc box. I like that little bit more width to allow me to more easily work the frames.

Now please don't think for one minute I have all the answers. I only share this information on what works best for me and be sure that I am ready to change my methods as soon as i discover a better way to do things. I still use frame feeders and the equipment that I have made up. I wish you well, LP


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## ShrekVa (Jan 13, 2011)

I like the Motherlode 1 gallon feeder, without cap and ladder.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Ive been using the double wide Mann Lake Pro medium frame feeders, four in a super on top of the hive.

Last summer I experimented with a Warre for the first time and I built this feeder from a 2x4 and a scrap of plywood. 










I had zero drowned bees. The divider sits 1/8 inch above the sloped bottom to let syrup run under and let the bees get all of the syrup. The feeding board is triangular to form a ramp. I put several coats of spar urethane on it to make it syrup tight. This shallow one holds one gallon. It worked so well that building a larger one for my Langstroths is one of my winter shop projects.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

When I buy a Mann Lake top feeder, I always put a bead of silicone along the seams where the hardware cloth contacts the plastic. I own about ten of these feeders and I have experienced some drowned bees. However, once i started putting this bead of silicone to insure that the bees could not squeeze through a gap between the wire and the plastic, I never had problems again.


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