Author Topic: Feeding frames on top of inner cover?  (Read 1841 times)

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Offline 40 Acre Bees

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Feeding frames on top of inner cover?
« on: March 02, 2017, 06:21:20 pm »
Unfortunately we have one hive that didn’t make it, but it still has lots of good stores, that I want to feed to the other hives.  All of the other hives are munching away on their sugar cakes but at this rate they won’t last long.  I currently have the sugar cakes on top of the inner cover (shim attached to top of inner cover) surrounded by 2 inch insulation.  Being this late in the season I was wondering if I could remove the insulation and lay a complete frame of honey across the inner cover so the bees can come up and get the honey (on the next warm day) .  I would place one frame in each hive so hopefully no robbing would occur (still to cold to do much flying?.  I do not know how much each hive has left in their own stores as it is still too cold open the hives up.  Any ideas!

Offline Perry

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Re: Feeding frames on top of inner cover?
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2017, 08:44:08 pm »
You will not be able to lay a deep frame in the area above the inner cover, even on an angle laying flat, it won't fit (I've tried).
If you go quick and the weather cooperates you can quickly pop the inner cover and put the frame in next to the cluster on a warmer day.
It really only takes a few seconds if you are quick.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Feeding frames on top of inner cover?
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2017, 11:24:22 pm »
what perry said about the deep frame, the only way you can feed this back to them is placing a deep hive body on top and placing deep frames in it above the inner cover, (not practical right now in cold weather)  or as perry said switch an empty frame or two (whatever needed) out quickly, this is not easy..........and sometimes there are drawbacks to doing this.  personally, what i do with these deep frames is to store them. i use them to place in hives that need them for various reasons (in good weather)....... or when i am starting a new nuc/hive. (fully capped frames of honey). 

"I currently have the sugar cakes on top of the inner cover (shim attached to top of inner cover) surrounded by 2 inch insulation."

40 acre, this is how i do it, shim on top of the top deep. sugar cakes/bricks placed directly on top of the frames. inner cover. 2 inches of insulation on top of that, outer cover.  i do so because no barrier.......like going up through the inner cover to the sugar.  the inner cover is a barrier and imho, bees need to have the feed directly above them, no barrier. 
i keep wild things in a box..........™
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