[eddiegoff]

What are you all using for feeders in cardboard nucs? I don't want to use Boardman (robbing risk) or in hive type that takes room from the growing bees. i do community feed as well but I don't think the sound nuc with few foragers is able to get much feed that way. I'm considering using the 1-2 gallon bucket style with the 40 micron (I think) stainless screen. I'm planning to make a migration cover while I've got the feeder on then replace it with the cardboard cover when the customers pick them up. Thanks for your help in advance. Please share pictures if you have other options I haven't considered.

 

[JWPalmer]

Eddiegoff, welcome to Beesource. The best way to feed a nuc is to use a frame of honey. By the time the honey is gone, you should have enough foraging aged bees to do your open feeding.

I personally do not like using the cardboard boxes to grow the nucs. Instead, I grow them out in wooden equipment and save the cardboard for use as a transport nuc if rhe customer does not bring his own equipment for me to put the bees into.

 

[eddiegoff]

I use 2-3 frames typically to start them... doing walk-a-way splits...give them a frame of honey and some pollen normally. I'm trying to feed to grow more... faster and help them build comb faster. I used wood nucs last year with pretty good success too.

Eddiegoff, welcome to Beesource. The best way to feed a nuc is to use a frame of honey. By the time the honey is gone, you should have enough foraging aged bees to do your open feeding.

I personally do not like using the cardboard boxes to grow the nucs. Instead, I grow them out in wooden equipment and save the cardboard for use as a transport nuc if rhe customer does not bring his own equipment for me to put the bees into.

 

[JWPalmer]

Spring walk away split nucs for sale need to be made much stronger than 2-3 frames of bees. 3-4 frames of bees and brood, one of honey and some pollen, then an extra shake or two of nurse bees. I like just one frame with open brood and eggs and one of emerging brood, the others a mix of whatever. Of course the open brood with eggs goes next to the honey frame. Feeding at this point will not help, except to encourage robbing.. Until the queen is mated and laying, there is little you can do to stimulate comb building. Once she is mated however, remove some of the now empty drawn comb and replace it with foundation. You will have plenty of foragers and there will be a need to draw comb, so they will.

You can always reduce the number of combs and bees to make whatever your area considers a nuc. I do three solid frames of brood in all stages, a partially drawn frame of new comb, and a frame with honey. Bees should be coverering 3-4 of the frames.

 

[eddiegoff]

Thank you for the help... good info here!

Spring walk away split nucs for sale need to be made much stronger than 2-3 frames of bees. 3-4 frames of bees and brood, one of honey and some pollen, then an extra shake or two of nurse bees. I like just one frame with open brood and eggs and one of emerging brood, the others a mix of whatever. Of course the open brood with eggs goes next to the honey frame. Feeding at this point will not help, except to encourage robbing.. Until the queen is mated and laying, there is little you can do to stimulate comb building. Once she is mated however, remove some of the now empty drawn comb and replace it with foundation. You will have plenty of foragers and there will be a need to draw comb, so they will.