Blue Sky bee feeder

[mixofsam]

I'm curious if anyone has tried the Blue Sky bee feeder? Looks like a water feeder for chickens. It's advertised right at the top of the Bee Source website (far right side)? Seems like a nice easy way to feed the bees. Just put a deep over it.
Thanks.

[Beeslave]

I've never used one. It is a poultry water(at least in design). I'm sure they will feed the bees good. Looks real inconvenient for refilling. Getting all the bees off of it. Exposing the whole top of the hive when refilling. Neither one of those last sentences are fun when it is cool, rainy, and no flow so that's why you are feeding them.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

Tractor supply carries these in 2 sizes. I think 1 gal and 3 gal??? I looked at the larger ones for doing some open feeding. Figured I could fill the trough with pea gravel to keep the bees from drowning. I also thought about drilling a 2 1/2 hole in the top to fill it and plug the hole with a plumbing test cap that what we plug the feeder holes in our lids with when feeders are not on them.

[wfuavenger]

I also thought about drilling a 2 1/2 hole in the top to fill it and plug the hole with a plumbing test cap that what we plug the feeder holes in our lids with when feeders are not on them.

If you did that, the vacuum pressure that keeps the liquid up in the reservoir would not exist and it would all rush out the bottom.

[Beeslave]

Peacekeeper meant the plug would go in when filling is done. Even with doing that you might have some overflow before the filling was finished. I have some chicken waterers that have a cap you unscrew from the top with a rubber o-ring for a seal. It also has a cap to plug the water output while the lid is off for filling. There is a molded threaded nipple to screw the output(bottom) cap onto when the feeder is in use so you don't lose it. Mine is a 3 gal. The feeder by Blue Sky will also be pretty messy if you need to top off your feeder when it is not totally empty when you visit and you have to fill it because you are leaving for a few days or have your bees away from home.

[Jim Stevens]

I have two 5 gal waters that I fill with sugar syrup. I purchased them at a local farm and garden store.
Fill the base with pea gravel to the top of the static liquid level, or those darn bees will drown.
I had to put 1/8th screen over the outlet, when the bees empty the tank there is about ½” of liquid remaining in the bottom of it.
The Bees can AND will dig the pea gravel away from the opening and crawl inside ware they will drowned in the remaining liquid.

Jim.
you can see what they look like,
http://www.google.com/products/catal...275&sa=title#p

[McSpadden]

the feeder from Blue Sky is actually a quail waterer. The base is more narrow than a chicken waterer. UPS just brought mine tonight. The advantage is more bees can feed at one time.

[Mike Gillmore]

I've used a quail waterer just like the one Blue Sky is selling and found it a great way to feed in cool weather. Add an empty box and set the feeder right on the top bars above the cluster. It seemed to be the best way to feed syrup successfully in cool temps when the bees are reluctant to move very far from the cluster.

I laid a piece of 3/4 in. rope in the tray and never had a problem with the bees drowning.. and it's a lot easier to refill or clean up if you use rope rather than pebbles.

[McSpadden]

Hey thanks for the rope tip!!

[Chick]

If yo drill your hole in the top of the container to fill it, it will be running out the trough, the whole time you are pouring liquid in it, until you plug the hole. Don't ruin a feeder. The chicken waterer, with a piece of 5/8 or 3/4 rope, works great!

[mixofsam]

Thanks for all the opions/thougts.

[Damonh]

I purchased mine at Tractor Supply. The one downfall with them is that you either have to level your hive, or the feeder on top of your frames. If the feeder is tipped the sugar water runs out of the lower side. When the feeders are empty the bees will fill the inside of the feeder. This is not too much of a problem you just untwist the bottom and give the top a thump and the bees will fall out. Other than this they do work fine.

[tct1w]

Yeah as other have said pretty sure it a poultry watering device. My wife has one for her chickens. Just something that I read on site,cant remember for sure,but my girls just love a bucket with alot of sticks and fill it with water. You would think it was the community pool. The flippin love it. Fills up in the rain and if no rain you just fill it yourself. Go slow,because there will be some bees down in the bottom. Peace Dave

[Fred Bee]

I have a number of different types of feeders. One of my favorites is the "Rapid Feeder" from Beeworks. It looks like a plastic bunt style cake pan...never had bees to drown in it and it works just great. Set it over the hole in the inner cover and put an empty super above it along with the hive top...and you are good to go. Good luck.

[Laurence Hope]

I use some quail feeders. I have had less trouble with them than any other type.