The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: Anke on June 22, 2014, 10:17:09 pm

Title: feeding to encourage drawing out of foundation
Post by: Anke on June 22, 2014, 10:17:09 pm
What sugar to water ratio would I be best using to encourage my recently separated (5 weeks ago and full of eggs but no capped brood, enough food stores in the brood chamber, but foundation in super not touched/drawn out at all) hives? One of them is a bit low on bee numbers, but has loads of eggs, so some feed may help them a bit.

Does 1kg sugar to 1ltr water sound about right? And contact feeder or rapid feeder?
Title: Re: feeding to encourage drawing out of foundation
Post by: OhLaLa on June 24, 2014, 12:13:48 pm
I always use a whole bag of sugar (2.2kg), mix with warm/hot (ish) water to dissolve the granules and leave to cool. I'm not that precise re measuring the water, but mix to a thinner single cream consistency.

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And we use metal rapid feeders (mostly because we have quite a few of them). They work just fine and can be refilled if necessary without removing from the hive.

 :bee: