feeding through winter?

[beebeeking]

This will be our first winter beekeeping and we're trying to figure out if we need to feed our hive.  Currently we have two deeps: the bottom is mainly brood, the top is mainly honey.  We tried putting a medium honey super on a month or so ago but the bees haven't used it yet.  We're thinking we'll have to take the unused honey super off and feed them through the winter here.  Any ideas on how to know if you should feed your bees or if they have enough stores of their own?  We dont have very harsh winters here, but we dont want our bees to starve...

[Kirk-o]

Hey Buddy
I'm in L A if you have a deep full of mostly brood and a deep mostly honey that sounds pretty good perhaps,You should just watch them
see how they do .In the meantime you should get prepared to feed them.
Here in L.A it does get could sometimes What I foud that works really good is a one gallon Quail watering bottle for watering Quail. You fill it with one ten pound bag of sugar then add water stir til desolved,Turn it up right put on the top of the frames and cover it with a empty deep.This way the bees can feed right there in the hive just above the cluster and they can feed down to 32 degrees prevents robbing also.I have trouble with ants here in L A so this works the best.I get my Quail watering bottles from McMurray hacther they sell chickens ducks quail.So if you get all set up when it is time to feed you will be ready
kirko

urban beekeeper

[Brian D. Bray]

With one full deep dedicated to honey stores already I'd say your hive is already for winter.  Remove the super and the bees will fill in what is gathered in the future in the lower brood box as the queen decreased her egg laying.  Don't panic everything is as it should be.

[Michael Bush]

If they have enough stores you won't need to feed them.  If they don't have enough stores maybe in your location you can feed them.  In mine it wouldn't help because when the cold sets in they won't take the feed anyway.