I like the top outside bottle feeders. Use the size hole cutter to fit the bottle lid. Some use some sort of insert, such as a one inch long piece of PVC pipe. I don't. I use gaiter-aid bottles, I think the 20 ounce ones. You want to use a rigid type plastic bottle or glass if you can still find them. Do not use a smooth type or thin plastic bottle like the regular 2 ltr coke or Pepsi, they will collapse. The bottle is on the outside and can be seen so you see when they are out of feed. No opening the hive, no lighting the smoker or donning the veil. You night say, I'll not cut a hole in my top cover. Well, very little rain will enter. when not feeding use the bottle for watering or plug the hole with a bottle with a lid with no holes or have an extra cover with out a hole. Just have extra bottles and some extra lids to do the mix with. Invert the bottle over the ground so the excess will not be on the hive. you will loose about a teaspoon of syrup. fill the bottle jam full, less will come out when you invert. Some of you are probably already using this method. It works very well for me. As for freezing, it will take a much lower temp to freeze sugar syrup than it does water. When washing the bottles make sure to check the holes. If you leave the empty bottle on with the holes for very long the bees will propalize the holes shut.
If there is anybody out there that uses this feeding method and you see where I left anything out please feel free to add. dd2
when the weather gets long ice cold spells, I think one should stop using liquid feed and move to dry sugar and pollen patties
this is what I use down here our weather almost never gets down to freezing for more than a few hours.
The only time we feed pollen in the cold up here is to stimulate early brood rearing for early flows.
Here in Central Arkansas I feed 2-1 syrup until mid December then put the candy boards on and leave the hives alone until mid February.
Then I start 1-1 sugar syrup with Pro Health and Protein Patties to stimulate laying.