[mlsthmpsn]

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?

 

[mrflegel]

Its what I have been looking for. I knew there was a way to do this and you beat me to it. Spilling a little should run into the slot or be cleaned up by the bees. Great job.

 

[Hogback Honey]

Wow! just what I have been needing, thanks so much for posting, off to the hardware store I go.

 

[mlsthmpsn]

Make sure you cut the wooden inserts to slightly more than the depth of the container. This allows the bees to drink all the way to the bottom.

 

[matthewstiles]

Great idea!

 

[The Redneck Hippie]

What a wonderfully simple idea! LOVE IT. Thanks for posting those pictures and sharing the info, Mlsthmpsn. :thumbsup:

 

[CajunBee]

Nicely done!

 

[Mr.Beeman]

Questions....how do the bees get from the hive to the feeder? Shims under the feeder to keep it off the inner cover hole?

 

[mlsthmpsn]

Questions....how do the bees get from the hive to the feeder? Shims under the feeder to keep it off the inner cover hole?

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.

 

[enjambres]

That is a very cool idea! Please post some pictures of your happy girls slurping away at it.

One of the things I like best about keeping bees is knowing about all the ingenious equipment ideas.

Enj.

 

[Ross]

Inverted gallon paint can with a couple of holes punched in the lid is a lot easier and works well.

 

[ChuckReburn]

I use the chicken waterers and quail waterers - I put a coil of poly rope in the trough rather than gravel or marbles. When I run out of deeps to cover it, I just use a medium and a shim or 2 mediums.

 

[mlsthmpsn]

Inverted gallon paint can with a couple of holes punched in the lid is a lot easier and works well.

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.

 

[mlsthmpsn]

Here are two in a 10-frame with a medium surrounding.

 

[mlsthmpsn]

I also finished the new hive location and new, simpler stand.

 

[McBee7]

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==

 

[Ross]

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.

I don't cover mine and I have ***** and possums all over the place. Never had one tipped over. The metal paint cans don't leak like the plastic ones.

 

[NewJoe]

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.

I use quail waterers with nothing in the trough and never have any drowned bees!

 

[Bkwoodsbees]

How about a piece of 3/4 pvc through lid sticking up and through a screened inner cover. That way you can fill them up without bees getting out. Just lift off telescoping cover insert funnel into pvc and fill up.

 

[The Redneck Hippie]

How about a piece of 3/4 pvc through lid sticking up and through a screened inner cover. That way you can fill them up without bees getting out. Just lift off telescoping cover insert funnel into pvc and fill up.

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.