feeder jar ....... in the vacant space on the other side of the follower board .....

Just do this.
As long as you are in warm season (and a warm location!) - those money-separating feeders matter little.
You can feed from a dish, for all it matters.

 

Hi Greg thanks. And where is the better for it? I have a 2-1/2" gap under my follower board because of the shim, do I just place the feeder the other side of this on the floor or should I put it under a frame inside? Thanks

 

I would love to have a layens frame feeder but it would be so expensive to ship here.

I would really like to know please if I can make up something simple myself to fulfil this purpose i.e. jar feeder or similar?

Hi Sam,
Greg's absolutely correct - in a warm climate, pretty-much any kind of feeder will do the job - anything from a saucer with some straw in the syrup upwards ...
Keep whatever feeder you choose to use within the hive itself, and away from the entrance in order to avoid problems with robbing.

If you fancy making something challenging, and (I hope) completely original, then consider making something like this:

It's an idea I had a while back for a quasi-frame-feeder, but using inverted jars which I much prefer as they're 100% drown-free. It was an idea intended for those people who've insisted on making frames with touching top-bars. The idea is to have at least two jars in the feeder, side-by-side, sitting on top of wire mesh (hardware cloth). I estimate this feeder would take up three-frame's worth of space, so it would really only be suitable for horizontal hives.

Although I believe this to be an original idea, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Greg revealed that some bloke in Russia or the Ukraine has being using this technique for the last 50 years or so (!) - LOL - as very few things in beekeeping are original.
'best,
LJ

PS. A Follower Board feeder (using inverted jars) would be far simpler to make.

 

Thanks very much for the info. That is a really interesting design, perhaps just out of reach of my ability at this stage but I will keep it in mind in the future. Thanks

 

FWIW - I prefer to have a two-inch gap at the bottom of Partition (Follower) Boards - such gaps have zero significance in terms of thermal control. Also - with extra-deep frames such as those used in the Layens and Ukrainian Hives - bees will tend not to build combs outside of the normal comb area - BUT - if they ever become desperate for space, then they'll build comb wherever they can, Follower Board or no Follower Board. However, think of that as being similar to a safety pressure relief valve on a steam boiler or pressure cooker. Much better to have that characteristic, than not.
LJ

 

I think I probably have closer to a 4 inch gap at the moment. I've added a jar feed just on the outside of follower, sitting low on a couple bits of wood similar to the attached (but placed in the floor). I haven't seen an bees under it thus far, does it take a few days sometimes for them to find it? Thanks

 

I find that the bees choose to swarm before they seem to choose to build behind the follower. Mine are at least 2 inches off the floor. In some of my deeper hives there is 4 inches.

 

I bought the hive with a follower with about 1/2" off floor but now with a top shim it's closer to 3 or 4 inches. I think I'll just keep it with the large gap at this stage

 

A little off topic but I'm wondering if I should keep my second entrance hole fully or partially closed (with ventilated holes). The hive is less than half full as I've only just installed the Nuc and I have set the second entrance to be ventilated. Is this the right thing to do? Or should it be closed? Andcan it be fully open when the hive is near capacity? The weather is warming up 10C-25C (50F-75F). I've attached a fixture the hole dial I have installed. Thanks

 

Also a little off topic but do the orientation of the entrance matter a great deal if its pointing SW and not N (I imagine this is preferred for me in the southern hemisphere)? The orientation was chosen because it was more practical. Thanks

 

Ir's generally considered beneficial to have entrances pointing in the direction of the early morning sun, so as to stimulate the bees into activity as soon as possible. That's what I do, and it seems to work ok - but - if you think about bees in a Natural setting, they frequently don't have that choice, and yet seem to manage ok. Sometimes I wonder if we humans don't over-think things a little too much ?
'best,
LJ

 

Sometimes I wonder if we humans don't over-think things a little too much ?

Pretty sure this is the case.

Too much nibbling around the edges.
While 1-2 big decisions is all that it takes.

 

With my horizontal hives, placing feeders on the outside of followers has not worked. they ignore feeders placed like you have done.

I have found the same thing, they ignore unless they are in a dearth.

A little off topic but I'm wondering if I should keep my second entrance hole fully or partially closed (with ventilated holes). The hive is less than half full as I've only just installed the Nuc and I have set the second entrance to be ventilated. Is this the right thing to do? Or should it be closed? Andcan it be fully open when the hive is near capacity? The weather is warming up 10C-25C (50F-75F). I've attached a fixture the hole dial I have installed. Thanks

I would turn it to ventilate if only to deter robbing. If the bees don't like it they will cover it with propolis. Bees are really good at controlling their environment, don't stress.

I bought the hive with a follower with about 1/2" off floor but now with a top shim it's closer to 3 or 4 inches. I think I'll just keep it with the large gap at this stage

Again, don't stress over this 1", 2" 4" it really doesn't matter to the bees they still see the space on the other side of the follower as 'outside the nest' regardless of how far it is off the floor.

The bees don't care that much about the hive set up so just do what you do and be prepared to tweak your hive or methods as you learn about keeping bees in your environment. My bees have lived with renovations to their hives for the last 3 years, it is part and parcel of learning to use the Layens system.

As Charles pointed out, you will next need to find a way to feed them from above, that, IMO, is the main fault of the Layens plans.

 

I have found the same thing, they ignore unless they are in a dearth.



I would turn it to ventilate if only to deter robbing. If the bees don't like it they will cover it with propolis. Bees are really good at controlling their environment, don't stress.



Again, don't stress over this 1", 2" 4" it really doesn't matter to the bees they still see the space on the other side of the follower as 'outside the nest' regardless of how far it is off the floor.

The bees don't care that much about the hive set up so just do what you do and be prepared to tweak your hive or methods as you learn about keeping bees in your environment. My bees have lived with renovations to their hives for the last 3 years, it is part and parcel of learning to use the Layens system.

As Charles pointed out, you will next need to find a way to feed them from above, that, IMO, is the main fault of the Layens plans.

Thank you very much for the detailed response, I appreciate it. Thats good I don't need to worry about the other entrance or follower board. I'll turn my attention to the feeder situation. To be honest I don't even know if it's needed as I think there is a decent amount of flow at the moment and the weather is warm and warming up. I was just under the impression feeding would really build up a newly established colony from a nuc. Thanks again

 

It's very expensive for my to import a frame feeder, I've seen this wooden type online. It looks simple enough however I don't know how I should go about waterproofing it for the syrup, has anyone made one of these? Thanks

 

People do these all the time.
Simply use molten wax to waterproof this from inside.
Properly it should be glued as well, for better seals.

 

So I just bought some timber to make the frame feeder and peeked inside to see that the bees have now decided to drink all of the 300ml jar feeder I had setup on the floor. I suppose I'll just continue to feed them this way.. or is this going to be a problem down the track? Thanks

 

or is this going to be a problem down the track? Thanks

It will be fine. If you do not get very cold in the fall then this method of feeding may work for you year round. This method does not work when it gets cold as the bees will not leave the nest to find food.

 

You will have to build ladders or your bees will drown. I am not sure what they use I don't use frame feeders as once again in my neck of the woods my bees like their syrup warm and that feeder would get too cold during our fall nights.

 

Ok thanks I understand. I research it further.

Off topic again, I noticed after some wind and rain there is dampness seeping through under the sides on the floor. My hive is just sitting on the base, no fasteners or weatherproof sealing. I couldn't see an pooling water inside just dampness around the edges. Will this negativity impact the colony or is it not an issue and fairly common. I just don't know was is normal (it seems a bit strange to me that it isn't fastened or have a water barrier). Thanks very much

Sam

 

I wouldn't worry unless there was pooling water, the damp should dry out when the weather changes. Most hives are not sealed tight until the bees start to coat the insides with propolis, at least mine aren't.

 

I see thanks. I think I'm underestimating just how well bees can change their surrounds to suit their needs