early season liquid feed

[DLMKA]

It's going to be in the 60s here for a few days but we're still a few weeks off from having any kind of nectar flow like dandelions. It's warm enough during the day to feed syrup, would I be able to get a couple quarts of 2:1 in light hives or should I just let them eat the dry sugar I put on a few weeks back?

[LazyBkpr]

Even when it was 62 my bees wouldn't take the syrup. the syrup was in the house so around 72 degrees, the outside temp was around 62..   They did go absolutely bannanas over the pollen sub though...
   We have more incoming cold and snow this weekend, so I broke down and made up some patties with sugar and ultra bee.
   I will add the patties tomorrow. They have sugar in the hives and are taking it.. as at this current time it is all they have to survive on, so I will have sugar and the pollen sub patties on. I'll report on how that works.

[Woody Roberts]

As soon in the spring as we're getting regular temps above 50 deg I start feeding thin syrup. No thicker than 1/1 a little less sugar would be ok.
Some hives take it pretty good right out of cluster. Some not so much for a couple weeks.
Once pollen starts coming in the thin syrup will jump start spring buildup.

Once you start feeding you need to feed until nectar starts coming in. It takes a lot of feed to feed baby bees and they will starve in a hurry if they run out.

By the same token if you over feed they'll sometimes backfill the broodnest until the queen can't lay.

Last year one of my buddies started feeding early. After awhile he decided they had enough. The next time he checked they were all dead with their heads stuck in a cell. Not a drop of honey in the hive.

These were Itialians. My Russian ferel mutts go thru winter with a lot smaller cluster hence are a lot harder to starve out.
Personally I've never had any starve. I've certainly over fed though.

[Jen]

Supoosed to be around 70 tomorrow, I'm in the hive! I'll take pics. I've been feeding sugar syrup with HBH, they're taking about 1/3 to 1/2 quart a day, so I know that they are not THAT hungry ~

[Perry]

Even when it was 62 my bees wouldn't take the syrup. the syrup was in the house so around 72 degrees, the outside temp was around 62..   They did go absolutely bannanas over the pollen sub though...
   We have more incoming cold and snow this weekend, so I broke down and made up some patties with sugar and ultra bee.
   I will add the patties tomorrow. They have sugar in the hives and are taking it.. as at this current time it is all they have to survive on, so I will have sugar and the pollen sub patties on. I'll report on how that works.

On top or below your inner covers Scott?

[riverbee]

i would feed 1:1 this time of year, not 2:1 dlkma. how would you feed them syrup and what are your night time temps?

scott good on you for adding a little extra to the mix, you can't go wrong, and our temps are yours, nothing but cold and more snow coming in.

[LazyBkpr]

Even when it was 62 my bees wouldn't take the syrup. the syrup was in the house so around 72 degrees, the outside temp was around 62..   They did go absolutely bannanas over the pollen sub though...
   We have more incoming cold and snow this weekend, so I broke down and made up some patties with sugar and ultra bee.
   I will add the patties tomorrow. They have sugar in the hives and are taking it.. as at this current time it is all they have to survive on, so I will have sugar and the pollen sub patties on. I'll report on how that works.

On top or below your inner covers Scott?

   Sugar and pollen patty will be ON the top bars, the syrup I have on the hives is in one of my feeders over the inner covers.
   With freezing temps due tomorrow night I will pull the syrup. They have not touched it in the feeders above the inner cover or in the external stand feeder.