As a smallish sideliner, running a queen improvement project, I am finding feeding the resulting mating nucs/new queen colonies is pushing me and my kitchen stand mixer into overdrive!

I am looking at raising up around 50 new queens max next season, meaning by the end of my queen rearing window (May + June) I will have that many mating nucs maturing into singles to feed. All are fitted with in hive feeders either 2 quart or 6 quart capacity. I cannot barrel feed as the area has too many other colonies within range.

I need advice from those ahead of me on the learning and wisdom curve on:

1. how much you need to feed a new queen nuc/colony such that HRH lays at max rate, there are enough nurse bees to raise the young at max rate so you can be sure you are seeing which queens are truly the most fecund. I will be starting the ripe cells in mating nucs with three frames of bees and brood.

2. can you do this efficiently ie. feed once a week? Or do you need to feed more often?

3. I need an affordable-as-possible and efficient way to mix up the required volume all at once. A trash pump and agricultural container ie. 50 gallons capacity has been suggested. I would rather not work with a gas powered engine....are there pumps you can plug in to the house current and/or portable power supply that will mix 50 gallons of both 1:1 and 2:1?? Other tidy and easy to run options? Note: I have no local supplier of premixed sugar syrup.

Advice appreciated, and many thanks
Janet

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