I've been at this for about three years and it hasn't been super successful, but it is getting better. One of my packages that I started last year is supergreat this year and I had my mentor give me a hand with a split. I got a mated queen. I've seen the queen and she is laying, but it has been a whole month and there is mostly pollen, a few eggs and brood and there are only bees on about 5-6 frames. They look good, taking some syrup, but should I be concerned? My other hives are like gangbusters. Is the queen weak or is this where we should be in a month? I actually took only about 5 frames out of the original hive and it almost looks like nothing much has happened.
In a month, there should be frames of eggs and wet brood. I think your new queen is not much good. I would just stack this back on the original colony and try again later. Or you can pull a frame of eggs from the strong colony and brush off the bees and give it to the struggler to see if they want to do a supercedure cell or just to boost them while you get your mentor over to take a look with you. Good luck and that's my best guesses.
I've only bought one queen in my life and she was just like you say. She would hold what she had but wouldent build up. I was not impressed. My home grown mutt queens always go gangbusters.
Rob, don't know if this will help, but try changing the hive location with the stronger one. I, too, had a hive come out of winter and do what your weak hive is doing. I waited weeks. As a last-ditch effort, I was able to infuse her with more workers (moved the hive next to her away and all the foragers went to her hive). The added bodies seemed to do the trick. One week after the infusion, I had an entire deep (previously empty) filled with eggs. She queen kicked into high gear and I haven't had any problems with her since.
Not saying for sure that it will work in your case, but something to try before ditching her.
Thanks, I thought she might be a weak one. The original hive is pretty booming and I have a honey super on it. Could I put it on top of one of my well-working new packages that has a whole deep drawn out? I use hbh and I don't want to get any of it in my harvest. Thanks again for the replies.