>I think the 3 frame (including a frame of sealed honey) method would work better for me.
That will probably work fine too.
>Your 2-frame w/feeder in the bottom also sounds interesting. I'm not understanding design though.
Just a solid bottom glued on and a hole up an inch or two from the bottom. I was going to seal the bottom with melted parafin or beeswax. Then just put honey or syrup in the bottom for feed. I haven't tried it. Someone else on here suggested it and I've see the styrofoam nucs on Betterbee and they say to do that also.
>What are your thoughts on sugar cakes for feeding? A freind at our club uses this to "winter feed" and makes them using a tupperware mold w/ a 1/2" of sugar poured in, lighty (very lightly) applies water using a spray bottle and puts in the microwave for a minute or two. He uses 2" riser (from scrap hive bodies) placed on top of the brood box to allow space tor the sugar cakes. Could this method be applied (other than a winter feeding method like nucs etc.) technique for someone with only a few hives?
I've heard of people using candy of various sorts to feed nucs. I'm sure it works fine. Of course they have to haul water to dissolve it, but it's still less work than making honey.
>Finally, I was wanting to build some mating nucs w/ screened bottoms & shims on the bottom (to allow for air circulation) with a closeable 1" hole drilled in the front.Any thoughts / concerns on this design?
A mating nuc has too few bees to keep it adequately warm on cold nights with any significant amount of ventilation. I wouldn't. put ventilation in. It's nice for a "shaken swarm box" where you're going to overcrowd the bees and there is no brood to keep warm. A closable entrance is handy, but I just end up using 1/8 hardware cloth scraps from when I build SBB and staple them on and pry them off.