Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: bhfury on December 05, 2010, 01:01:02 AM

Title: Feeders
Post by: bhfury on December 05, 2010, 01:01:02 AM
I have some hives that are a box and a half. The half box (medium) is on the top with the bottom (brood chamber) on the bottom. The problem is that I want to feed, but the in hive feeder is in the bottom box. My question is...can I switch (reverse) the boxes so the box with in hive feeder is top box. If it makes a difference, I'm in Bakersfield California where the average temperature this time of the year is 56(high) and 38(low). OR is it too cold and can break the brood cluster.
Title: Re: Feeders
Post by: ronwhite3030 on December 05, 2010, 01:44:21 AM
If it was me I would either build or buy a hive top feeder and not mess with the position of the hives , or buy a shallow division board feeder or feed dry sugar by laying down a sheet of news paper on the top hive and spreading sugar on it or last resort being that it doesn't freeze really here put on a top-feeder only on warm days and take off on cold days but to me that is last resort.

my 2 cents
Title: Re: Feeders
Post by: rdy-b on December 05, 2010, 02:23:23 AM
  just crack the boxes and feed in the lower brood chamber-whats in the top box--bees or honey
  or you could but another feeder for the medium and do it that way -bees need the feed above them
so dont reverse-or you will have brood in the top-or is the top already full of brood-and thats why you need
to feed- 8-) RDY-B
Title: Re: Feeders
Post by: wd on December 06, 2010, 08:37:02 PM
what did you decide to do? I'd crack them open as mentioned...