[Brad Bee]

I tried the search feature to see if I could find reviews or users of these feeders but it didn't show any results....

Do any of you use the Pro Feeder (frame feeder) from Mann Lake? I'm going to make a few more splits and wanted to try an interior feeder to help prevent robbing. With the frame feeder I would be able to use it in a 5 frame nuc and still have room for 3 frames of bees and could add a super or deep when they needed space.

 

[snl]

I use the Mann Lake cap and ladder feeders and really like them. The bees do not build burr comb in them and I've not had an issue with SHB hiding in them. You just need to decide what size you want. I use the smallest one.............

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

The best search tool for this kind of search is the Google Custom Search on the left side of the Beesource home page here: http://www.beesource.com/

Using "Mann Lake Pro Feeder" as a search term, it finds a number of threads that discuss the Mann Lake Pro Feeders. Here's one of those: http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?273990-Division-board-feeder

 

[Tim KS]

I used a couple of them when I went from nucs to 10 frame hives this spring. One hive drank it dry and the other hive didn't use it at all. Both hives seemed to do well and I could tell no difference in them.

 

[MTN-Bees]

I have both the Mann Lake and Brushy Mountain Frame Feeders. Both work well. The Brushy Mountain is narrower and has floats which reduces dead bees. The Mann Lake feeder is wider and holds more. I cut up some cork and put in the Mann Lake feeder to reduce bees drowning. That seemed to work well. I'm going to try an Brushy Mountain Nuc Top Feeder to see how that works out.

 

[Aucoop94]

I have both the Mann Lake and Brushy Mountain Frame Feeders. Both work well. The Brushy Mountain is narrower and has floats which reduces dead bees. The Mann Lake feeder is wider and holds more. I cut up some cork and put in the Mann Lake feeder to reduce bees drowning. That seemed to work well. I'm going to try an Brushy Mountain Nuc Top Feeder to see how that works out.

I use the Brushy Mtn feeders as well and I really like them. Sometimes the floats will get stuck on the bottom if you go too long between refills but your hive tool can knock them loose. They also have ridges down the inside to help the girls get traction on the way up. I've only had one colony persistently build burr comb inside it...drives me crazy!

 

[JRG13]

No problems with the mann lake feeders, except they only fit mann lake boxes correctly, i.e. 9 frames with the smallest feeder, will only get 8 in other boxes.

 

[don wiggins]

No problems with the mann lake feeders, except they only fit mann lake boxes correctly, i.e. 9 frames with the smallest feeder, will only get 8 in other boxes.

Last year, my first year, I bought some of the 1 gallon feeders with the cap and screen ladders and like JRG said I could only fit 8 frames in the box. Someone told me that with the 2 gallon size you could still get 8 frames in there so I tried that this year. They fit great, space is much better.
Don

 

[mathesonequip]

I tried some a couple of years ago, they work but I find top feeders easier to fill and watch. with the pro feeders you must open the hive to check or fill, filling is a pain. I like the mann lake top feeders for fall feeding., but for feeding this time of year I like mason jars over the inner cover. for warm weather the top feeders encourage burr comb on the bottom of the feeder. I use a wood block with a screen with the mason jar so I do not have to get in the hive to refill. the mann lake top feeders hold a lot, do not leak and allow the bees to slurp up in a hurry. drowned bees have not been a problem.

 

[Brad Bee]

I decided to go with the Brushy Mtn frame feeder. I guess the selling point for me is only taking up one frames worth of space. That will allow me to put 4 frames in a nuc..... I hope that it doesn't take them as long to ship as the email that followed up my order said it would. It said to allow 7-10 days before product ships. That's ridiculous.

 

[Aucoop94]

I decided to go with the Brushy Mtn frame feeder. I guess the selling point for me is only taking up one frames worth of space. That will allow me to put 4 frames in a nuc..... I hope that it doesn't take them as long to ship as the email that followed up my order said it would. It said to allow 7-10 days before product ships. That's ridiculous.

My last shipment from them took 7 days from order to door. They don't get in a big hurry.

 

[Live Oak]

Just my opinion from experience. If you like drowning your bees, use those feeders. I have good luck with these:

http://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/22/Queens-Bees/Feed/4703/Quad-Hive-Top-Feeders

I made my own with some changes out of extra scrap plywood and a left over role of #10 hardware cloth. Use an empty brood box to cover quart or 5 lb. jars or a medium box to cover pint jars.

 

[BeeGhost]

I like the frame feeders, everything is inside and wont blow over when empty. When its time to fill, just pop the lid, turn it till you get to a hole (I use cap&ladder from Mann Lake) and fill, no need to take the lid completely off unless you want to.

 

[Brad Bee]

My last shipment from them took 7 days from order to door. They don't get in a big hurry.

Unless they have not emailed me with an update, they haven't shipped yet.

 

[Aucoop94]

Just my opinion from experience. If you like drowning your bees, use those feeders.

The Brushy Mountain feeders come with floats to prevent drowning. I kill more bees putting the cover back on.

 

[KevinR]

I've used the Mann Lake feeders and they work pretty good. Currently, I've trying out the motherloade feeders with cap/ladders. So far no burr comb inside and only a little on the outside. Similar to the Mann Lake pro feeder one. Difference being that the Motherloade is a little cheaper, downside is that you have to assemble the cap/ladder. If you want medium feeders the motherloade is the only one that I've found with cap/ladder. I have both deep and medium feeders.

As a test this year, I'm making ~twenty of ten frame mediums with the 2 frame motherloade feeder and 8 frames. I'm going to overwinter and sell them as alternatives to 5 frame deep nucs in the spring.