I live in North Texas and I am getting two 5 frame nucs soon. I am wondering if I should feed them when I get them and when should I stop feeding them? If I don't need to feed them come next spring when I do when do I need to stop feeding them?
If you're getting nucs you'll probably want to transfer them into a 10 framer right from the start. Put the 3 center frames from the nucs in the center of the hive body as these are most likely the ones with brood. If brood on any of the other 2 frames group them with the brood combs. Place and undrawn frame between the brood nest and the outside honey combs from the nuc. This will make the bees build those frames faster and enlarges the brood chamber at the same time. The outer frames should be undrawn as well. Move them in from the outside one frame on each side so that the outside honey storage frame stays on the outside and the bees draw the empty frame adjacent to the brood combs.
Feed until the 1st box is drawn and them let them do their own work.
IMO, when they have a couple of frames of capped honey and there's a flow of nectar coming in.
I have been feeding my hives the 1:1 syrup and I figured I would just keep feeding until the weather consistantly remains above 55 degrees. I hope this isn't a bad practice.