It is too cold to use a hive top feeder. The bees would be challenged to get to the syrup in a hive top feeder and at this point in the season, may be a bad choice for a feeder. A pail feeder goes right on top of the inner cover and most beekeepers bees are in the top box, right under the inner cover. The feeder pail is right above the cluster and should not freeze. The warmth of the cluster should keep any feeder pail from freezing.
In about a week or so it is a good idea to go out and break the top box loose and lift it up a few inches above the box below it. This will give you an idea how much food is in the top box. If the box is heavy, do not feed anymore syrup. If the box is light, give the bees another pail of syrup. Anything in between, is a judgement call.
One thing to remember, do not feed pail after pail of syrup. The bees will take down all the syrup that is offered. The bees will fill up the brood area with syrup and the queen will have no place to lay eggs and the population will dwindle.
Feed syrup as needed. If you look at your bees and they are still down deep in the hive and the top box is full of honey still, feeding probably is not needed.
Putting pollen on the hive is also going on right now. There is brood in the colonies right now. Pollen patties are needed to assure there is protein available for proper brood development. If there is no pollen available for the brood, the bees may cannibalize the young larvae and the hive's overall population will suffer with low brood numbers.
Pollen patties need to be placed right where the bees are. Usually it is on the top bars of the top box. Put the pollen patty right on top of the bees. Don't block the inner cover hole for access to the feeder pail.
If the bees are in both the top box and the box underneath, put a pollen patty on top of both boxes.
Beekeepers who have overwintered five frame nuc boxes should be moving them into ten frame equipment very soon if their population is booming. Weak nucs can stay in the nucs for the short term.
Beekeepers have had some pain getting going this season. Snow has made it tough to get to our hives. The weather will be getting better, forties are on the horizon as we move towards April.
The next big thing on the horizon is a reversal coming around early April.
