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Author Topic: Feeding nucs  (Read 1507 times)

Offline don2

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Feeding nucs
« on: June 15, 2013, 04:40:16 am »
For the new bee keepers, when you get a nuc, whether it is 2, 4, 5 or what ever frame nuc, You have to feed these bees, no mater what kind of flow is on. You also have to be careful in assuming there is no queen. This was my first year doing a nuc. Got it home Sat May 11 and Sunday they were balling the queen. So, Queen less nuc, right, no. The man had accidentally got 2 queens in the nuc. The one they balled was very small. She was either a virgin queen or had just mated. I left it alone for 5 days, then I found fresh eggs and young brood. A week later I saw the queen while checking how much space was left. That is when I had to add the 2nd super. I am still feeding.
Same goes with a Package, you have to feed. If there is no nectar  or very little out there for the bees to get, (the queen will not lay if there is not enough food for the nurse bees to feed larvae). They can get pollen when they cannot get nectar, one to one sugar syrup. Regular white granulated sugar. Nothing else. Remember, feed your bees when they need it  Or, like some one said, if they can't find any thing out there let-um die. If that is your choice then don't grumble. Other wise feed your hives if they need it.  :) d2

I'm a ranty rant.

Offline Finski

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Re: Feeding nucs
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2013, 09:36:28 am »
For the new bee keepers, when you get a nuc, whether it is 2, 4, 5 or what ever frame nuc, You have to feed these bees, no mater what kind of flow is on.

Totally wrong. 2 frame nuc is too small to start. It is not able to make brood. It works as mating nuc but not as real nuc.

5 frame is minimum if we talk about nucs. No reason to keep smaller.

First of all bees need space to make brood. Feeding and good flow fills the combs and there is not enough space for brood. If there is no combs for laying, even handfull of bees will swarm.

Hives do not grow faster if you feed them. Brood takes allways 3 weeks time from egg to bee.

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Offline millipede

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Re: Feeding nucs
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2013, 02:25:45 pm »
I did not feed my nucs. I just put them in the pasture in the middle of April. The are three deeps high now.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2013, 02:48:15 pm by millipede »

 

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