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Author Topic: Perfect Feeder???  (Read 7117 times)

Offline Grandpa Jim

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #20 on: June 20, 2009, 12:01:27 am »
I use 1/2 gal plastic jars with 1/4 inch holes (2) drilled thru the lip of the jar (where the threads are located) in the area covered by the side of the lid.  Than fill the jar, screw on the lid, and invert on the inner cover.  Put a medium super ontop of the inner cover to inclose the feeders with the  hive cover on top.  The bottles act like a chick waterer with the syrup around the inside of the lid(between the lid and the jar). The bees have no problem getting the syrup and there are no drowned bees.  You can put 4 inside with no problem if you need to.
Jim
« Last Edit: June 20, 2009, 11:37:38 am by Grandpa Jim »

Offline bee-nuts

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #21 on: June 20, 2009, 06:21:18 am »
I find it amazing how people no matter what age can so easily squabble over the pettiest things of little importance like who's daddy is the strongest on the grade school playground.  Depending on the person and there situation, preferences will vary in most any matter.  My hives are not in my backyard and I work full time and have a four year old daughter that demands my time.  For me the most ideal feeders would be ones that can hold enough that I don't have be there every day, can be filled fast when I'm short on time, don't require a smoker, and whatever else may be convenient.  If you only have a few hives, have to drive 10 miles, then through a field or whatever you situation may be, it might be worth $50.00 a feeder to someone.  Whatever it costs or doesn't, they are not worth arguing and insulting one another over.  I used frame feeders this year.  They held a gallon and came with my colonies.  I had to open the hives to fill them and they sucked em dry fast.  My buddy always used inverted jars.  A person can build most anything, cheap or expensive.  Everyones situation is a bit different and what's suitable for one may be a bad choice for another. 

One thing for sure, sounds like someone needs to design more hive feeders.
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory

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Offline sc-bee

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #22 on: June 20, 2009, 11:57:59 am »
>Whatever it costs or doesn't, they are not worth arguing and insulting one another over.  I used frame feeders this year.  

Sounds like you got your two cents worth in the squabble :-*

Just kidding ;)--- good points I think, some been mentioned.

The best feeder suits your needs!!!
John 3:16

Offline TwT

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #23 on: June 20, 2009, 12:26:03 pm »
oh dont get me wrong I still use boardman feeders also, just not on the hives, I set them full out on a picnic table and open feed with them, works fine.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #24 on: June 20, 2009, 02:51:21 pm »
oh dont get me wrong I still use boardman feeders also, just not on the hives, I set them full out on a picnic table and open feed with them, works fine.

That's what I've been doing this year.  I haven't had any sort of feeders on or in my hives.  Just a couple frames of capped honey from my deadout and the rest is open feeding from two small boardman feeders sitting on the cement well tile a couple of hundred feet from the hives.  It's worked good so far.  I figure it makes sense to allow them to process it at their natural pace.  Since they prefer real nectar it also gives me a window into how they are doing at foraging by the amount of traffic I see at the feeders. 

So far they mostly ignore the feeders in good weather.  They hit them pretty hard for a day or two after it stops raining.  The three hives go through the two quarts in a little over a week currently.
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
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Offline TwT

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #25 on: June 20, 2009, 07:48:24 pm »
I  like open feeding during the summer months, helps get them ready for winter if they don't have a fall flow, I have also started open feeding with 1 gallon chick waterers 2 years ago in my out yards, I get a small piece of screen with silicone and screen the hole up because the bee's would get in the feeder when it was empty, with some rocks in the bottom for the bee's to stand on and not drown and with the hole screened up they turned out to be outstanding open feeders. here's a picture of one. if you look at the pic below you can see the hole I scree up, run silicone only on red part and put the screen across the hole but only covering the red area, because you have to unscrew it when refilling, I found a sale on these at a local feed store for $3.50 each, I bought 12 of them and now have about 30 total,

THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #26 on: June 20, 2009, 08:36:19 pm »
i use the same and they work great! 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Perfect Feeder???
« Reply #27 on: June 20, 2009, 11:44:16 pm »
Over the past 50 years I've spent a lot of money on different types of feeders, frame feeders, (aka division board), hive top feeders, boardman feeders. etc.  I have yet to find a better or simpler method of feeding than using 1 gallon paint cans or discarded 1 gallon pickle jars (usually free from restuarants).  I've always gone back to the invert can or jar feeder.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!