To feed new Nucs or Not

[hunter3015]

new to all this, just got my first two hives (nucs) last weekend.  I was told by one person to feed the new bees (1 an 1 sugar water) and I have been.  Then another feed said I shouldn't need to feed in the middle of a honey flow here in North Carolina.  What should I be doing?


Thanks

[D Coates]

My 2 cents (could be overpriced) is leave them be.  If flow is going on they should have plenty of food so it's not necessary.  Have you opened them up and checked reserves?  If so, there should be at least some open honey in the 1 and 5 frames along with honey in the upper corners of all the other frames.  If the colonies don't have any stores then you could feed.  Welcome to beekeeping, if you do feed them it won't hurt them but they may not take it and it'll rot but it won't cause any real trouble.

[Finski]

.
If you have 5 frame nuc, one frame should be honey (alltogether) for bad days.
If comb are empty in corners, feed them.

Nuc needs every cell for brood.

Feeding has no role in nuc's build up. Food from nature inpire them and bees do their best
when the nuc drawn new foundations, don't feed hem let them get all from nature..

[hunter3015]

sorry I didn't advise everything.  I purchased 2 nucs and placed them into 2-10 frame deep hive bodies.  Yesterday was a week and I opened an checked them.  Had young brood, any honey cause it dripped on shoe when I turned it up.  Everything inside looked good (to me).  But from what I've heard I'll lay off the feeding for now an see how they do.

Thanks

[AllenF]

Just remember with a nuc on new frames, you will not be getting a honey harvest from them this year.   They need to be growing this year. 

[David McLeod]

To feed or not to feed, that is the question!

Just like a good tragedy by the bard that question in beekeeper circles can call down a pox on both your houses. LOL

Even after all these years and really knowing better I still shove a boardman into the entrance of any new swarm or nuc just transferred into a deep without drawn comb. Humor me, it just makes me feel better even if I have to pour out the syrup when there is a flow on.
The key IMO is knowing when they are truly light without the means to replenish, ie., a flow is on. As long as there is a moderate or better flow and enough bees to work it then they should do just fine without feeding.

[Finski]

sorry I didn't advise everything.  I purchased 2 nucs and placed them into 2-10 frame deep hive bodies.  Yesterday was a week and I opened an checked them.  Had young brood, any honey cause it dripped on shoe when I turned it up.  Everything inside looked good (to me).  But from what I've heard I'll lay off the feeding for now an see how they do.

Thanks

first, the nuc's hive must be such size what the bees occupye. When new bees born, add frames.
Build up takes its own time.

The most dangerous thing is strong honey flow. The nuc may be stucked in one week and then the hive swarms.

[Jim134]

new to all this, just got my first two hives (nucs) last weekend.  I was told by one person to feed the new bees (1 an 1 sugar water) and I have been.  Then another feed said I shouldn't need to feed in the middle of a honey flow here in North Carolina.  What should I be doing?


Thanks

   How long this at been in the nuc hive ?????????

   Nuc give a cell or a mated Queen ???

  And I going to a have a lots more of this ??????

  Do you have a lot of flying bees ?????????

 Just to little Inf.
  


               BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[mikecva]

Welcome to beekeeping and the forum. If you change your profile and add you city and state, we might be able to give you a little more relevant advice.

I just stopped feeding here in northern VA with three medium capped brood boxed and the nectar is just starting to flow around here (three weeks early this year). I do not feed 1:1 during the flow as it 'waters down' the stores (although the bees will reduce the moisture content, it just take a lot of work.)

Try to find a local beekeepers club and enjoy the company and keep reading the forum. Have fun.  -Mike

[applebwoi]

Like others have said, kind of depends on several things.  How  crowded with bees is the nuc and are you having a flow? If not just loaded with bees and no flow, feed for sure.  If lots of bees and flow is on, don't .  Somewhere in between, feed to be safe, since you're just starting and probably don't want to risk much.

[cdanderson]

Well, you know what they say about opinions...everyone has one ..LOL

I always say feed a new nuc even if the honey flow is on.  The bees often take the syrup at night or on windy/rainy days when they cant fly.  As long as you feed in a manner to minimize robbing, I dont think it hurts.  Here in my locale, the spring honey flow may be the only one we have.  I want them to have every advantage and opportunity to grow.  I add Honey B Healthy to mine (just a bit) and haven't had any syrup ruin in a long time. 

[Finski]

When you have 5 frame nuc, take care that they have one full frame of food but not more.
It is enough for one bad week and then again  check the case.

Nuc is very different than package hive.
 
Biggest problem in small colonies is that they become filled with nectar very quickly and then they swarm and escpe.

[Jim134]

When you have 5 frame nuc, take care that they have one full frame of food but not more.
It is enough for one bad week and then again  check the case.

Nuc is very different than package hive.
 
Biggest problem in small colonies is that they become filled with nectar very quickly and then they swarm and escpe.

Why are you not put it in to a 8 or 10 frame hive ???


  BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[deltabeeman]

I hive nucs in 10 framers with 8 frames and a gallon feeder. 1 frame of foundation between the nuc frames and the feeder. The other 2 frames of foundation on the opposite side of the box. Feed them a half gallon of 1/1 syrup to get them going. When they have only 1 frame of foundation left not drawn, pull the feeder and put two frames of foundation in its place. Then put the feeder in another box with 8 frames of foundation and put it on top. When the bees have filled the bottom box give them another half gallon of 1/1 syrup in the feeder. This usually gives me nice double deeps from nucs in about 30 or 40 days.