I heard that Boardman feeders can be used for watering your bees, but I've also heard that it isn't recommended. Do they work or not? Why would it not be recommended?
I've used Boardman feeders in each of my first two years of beekeeping to feed sugar syrup to packages of bees. Sometimes I've had to fill them more than once a day to keep the feeding constantly available. I have read that they can promote "robbing" so be careful not to spill the syrup. For just plain watering I let bees get that from natural sources nearby.
The biggest problem with boardman feeders for water is the frequency of filling that is required. You're better off to set up a community water station.
I'm working on getting a small barrel or bird bath set up closeby with floating plants for them to get water. My neighbors have swimming pools and I really don't want my bees to be a bother for them.
I am using entrance feeders now for water on my hives. The bees are taking some, less than a pint a day/per hive right now, but they do have a creek about 1/4 mile away to get water from as well, and sometimes they get it in the garden after watering. Since this yard is at our farm it's no big deal for me to refill as needed. I really like to have the water close by so that the bees do not have to waste time and energy traveling to get it. Also, if it rains and they can't get out they still have it if they need it for housekeeping chores, or whatever. I wouldn't do this at an outyard if it meant making special trips to fill jars, for sure.
Other than having to refill jars, I can't think of a downside. If someone does know of a reason not to use them I hope they will post it.
I have the boardman and the large plastic feeders I bought from BetterBee. As long as I don't feed syrup at the entrance I don't have to worry about robbing. Water works, but I have watched them BeeLine right to the dog dish and birdbath. When the water in the jars get funky then they take it. Not much when it's fresh. The plastic feeders are not touched in the hot weather, I'm assuming there is something they don't like about the plastic, but they work great, with syrup, in the spring when I'm trying to con them into early build-up. I either use them inside an empty box above the brood nest or at the entrance as a spring waterer (that is the plastic). The glass jars are the only thing I use at the entrance when it heats up for water.