What should I feed dmy hive for the winter?

[garlicfarmer]

I would like to find out for the winter.  What should I count on for feeding my bees to go with honey?  I want the bees to be extremely happy.  Thanks in advance Tom

[Finski]

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So you have catch and release beekeeping

During my 50 years I have not met happy bees. Perhaps they were most happy then when they attached on me and I run through willow bushes  with 50 stings in my head.

The honey comb is ment to be winter store. You need not feed it again.
Ihhive  has not food enough you must feed sugar.

First you must reduce the winter space to the size of winter cluster.
Cluster is same size as the 3-weeks brood are before  hive stops brooding.

If you have 7-8 frames of brood, you need one box for winter.
If brood frames are 6, dummy board is usefull.

Sugar is  as good winter food as honey.
Pollen frames are  important. From them bees get other nutritients for wellfare. Sugar and honey gives only energy.

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[AllenF]

2 to 1 syrup for winter feed.

[buzzbee]

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During my 50 years I have not met happy bees. Perhaps they were most happy then when they attached on me and I run through willow bushes  with 50 stings in my head.



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Finskis post above is good advice.
I got a good laugh from this piece of his post. Thanks for a good chuckle this morning Finski!! :)

[BlueBee]

The bees get their carbohydrates from the honey.

Protein and Fats comes from the pollen.  It isn't good for anything to live off pure sugar, so as Finski says, the bees need time and space to store enough pollen for the winter.  That isn't usually a problem in Michigan.  They bring in lots of pollen this time of year.