How much & how quick sugar?

[Rusted!]

Evening all,
Installed 2, 3# packages of Italians Sunday eve, and will open and check queen tomorrow. Everything looking good so far, bees on recon flights, and seem to be ok with entrance reducer.  Have top feeder, and put aprox. 1 gal sugar watter on each hive Sunday.  I plan to have more sugar water on hand when I open Wednesday, but was wondering just how quickly will they use up the sugar water? Know it is kind of hard to tell, but right now in s.c.Ohio not a lot blooming yet.  Just first few nice days so far.  Don't want to be caught with the girls going hungry! 
Thanks.

[EOHenry]

Every colony is different.  There is no normal amount of sugar water taken up for a hive.  All you can do is check it? They will continue to draw off it until there is a necter flow and then it will gradually taper off.  Don't be too inquisitive and check the frames too much at the beginning. Every time you open up the hive and disturb the frames sets them back alittle. They need privacy too. ;)

Enjoy the hobby!

[indypartridge]

With a top feeder you can check it regularly without disturbing the bees. Just pop the cover open enough to peek inside.  Package bees drawing comb can consume a lot in short time.

[Sean Kelly]

Last year my new packages consumed about 3/4 to 1 pint a day drawing out foundation.  This year I put on top feeders and they are going through it like gangbusters.  2 gallons in 2 days!  I'm hoping they slow down cause sugar is getting expensive.  I got some weird looks leaving walmart with five 20 lb bags of sugar.  Probably thought I was making moonshine or something.  lol.

Sean Kelly

[Michael Bush]

Bees store honey/syrup.  It's what they do.  They can handle a day without syrup.