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Cheap top feeder

8K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  mlsthmpsn 
#1 ·
I was thinking about feeders lately... Waiting on bees to show up.

I have used chicken waterers inside an empty deep with success, but I have way more medium supers than deeps. Also, I hate dealing with all the marbles needed to prevent drowning in the waterers. So, I set out to find a feeder to fit in an empty medium super that would minimize drowning.

Here's what I came up with:




$2.49 for the thicker walled Rubbermaid 6qt container, scrap 3/4" wood pieces and #8 hardware cloth from making screened bottom boards. I cut the hole tight, so pressure keeps the screen in place (it's hard to get out by wiggling it). I should be able to fill by simple sliding the cover back and pouring into a funnel that goes into the slot.

Thoughts?
 
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#9 ·
I haven't tried yet, but my measurement of the container says it will fit across the narrow side (perpendicular to frames) and it will leave the hole in the inner cover free. I should be able to place two in a hive, one on the front and back of the inner cover.

I am getting bees tomorrow, so hopefully I have time to get everything set up tonight. I'll take pics of these in hives then.
 
#13 ·
I agree, the paint cans would be easier to set up and simply replace with a new filled one, but they are too tall (7 3/4" I believe) to fit inside a medium super. I need to have my feeders enclosed because the ***** and possums will tip them over every night. I also need them to fit in a medium, because I only have a few deeps and an abundance of mediums....and all my extra deeps get set out as bait hives soon.
 
#16 ·
This is a great idea....I was using plastic gallon pails in deeps, but they were problematic (leaky) and I just went back to a quart fruit jar stuffed into a styrofoam board above the inner cover, but I like this idea better and it's cheaper than most commercial feeders, doesn't leak and the bees don't drown......great job and thanks mlsthmpsn :)

==McBee7==
 
#20 ·
Great idea! You could close the end of the pipe with an end cap (not glued of course).

If all that made it taller than the medium box, you could just dispense with the pipe, drill a 2" hole to fill, and cover that with duct tape to keep the bees out - or cover with a larger piece of luan that's screwed/bolted in one corner so you can slide/twist it out of the way, and slide/twist it back.
 
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