[uncletom]

You guys make me jealous. You’re talking about putting on Queen Excluders, honey supers and manipulating your brood chambers. I look out the window at my hives and the snow’s over my knees between me and them. You can’t even see the stands. Just white hives, sticking out of white snow, with thick white snow caps on top. If we ever get a day that goes above freezing I gota get my feeders on.

Sorry, just venting

tom

 

[BubbaBob]

Hmmmm.....and I thought I had problems....I've got two hives I'm trying to keep from swarming right now....and BTW, all my ladies were little yellow puffballs today...LOL

BubbaBob

 

[dcross]

Got my feeders on, but they aren't interested in what I'm selling.

 

[Henry]

I thought it was to cold to put feeders on.It is in the high 40's and at night about freezing. Ain't that too cold?
Henry

 

[dcross]

It depends why you're feeding, it's not too early for stimulative feeding(in KY) by any means.

 

[Henry]

Why?? Because at the beekeeper meetings the old timers say feed feed feed feed.Dont that make or encourage brood rearing?They have plenty honey or did at last check.
Henry

 

[dcross]

If you feed thin syrup and pollen/substitute before they can find the real thing, they should start raising more brood, earlier, than they would otherwise.

That can cause problems. They can starve if you stop feeding before something else is available, or they can swarm.

You can feed candy or dry sugar without causing brood rearing.

I would guess they're finding pollen in your area.

 

[dcross]

And I'll be back down into the single digits

 

[Henry]

I would like to make a couple early splits so I thought about feeding but was afraid a cold snap would chill some brood. I dont want more brood than they can take care of.They are bringing in pollen. I saw a few dandelion already.
Henry

 

[dcross]

Then the old timers are right

 

[Hillbillynursery]

Henry I am in middle TN. I started feeding middle of January getting ready for splitting hives. I use a gallon plastic mayo jug and put it in a hive about 15 to 20 feet from my hives with a alot of small holes punched in the lid. I turn it upside down on 2 pieces of 3/4 wood sc raps. I have a few glass ones as well that I use when the temp is not going to get down below like 27. The glass ones leak less because of expansion and contration but I worry about they freezing when it gets to cold. I eat enough dill pickle sliced to purchase the gallon size jars. The temps regulate how much syrup is taken. You can feed above the inner cover if you wish.

 

[Henry]

HB I'm not sure where McMinnville is but I don't think it is not far from Nashville which I am about 75 miles north of so you will probably be a couple weeks ahead of me. I didn't want to get in to big of a hurry because I won't have queens for splits until April 16th or so. I have jar feeders on today and they are really going to town on them.In the fall I use juice cartons, the kind with the pour spout on the side with a hardware cloth tube to keep from drowning them.
Henry

 

[Hillbillynursery]

I am 75 mile south east of Nashville. I let my splits raise their own queens so I need them read to swarm in 2 weeks so that the number of drones will be up. So I can understand you holding off a bit longer than I did. But the part about feeding stand as to using a method of feeding which the syrup can freeze and thaw for colder temp.

 

[Dee]

im in the same boat, its been in the teens most days and single digits at nite. today it actually reached 56 degrees so it felt like a heat wave here! we're suppose to get more snow tomorrow and the next day too. im hoping not too much - im so ready for spring!!
(hi hbn)