How much drone brood is too much?

[Rachel]

I have one hive doing terrific, and one that is not doing much at all.  They don't have much drawn comb (I hived them on April 14th), when I checked them today they have brood, but quite a bit of drone brood.  Should I replace the queen, or let them take care of things?  I'm clueless.  My other hive is doing amazing!  I don't know what's going on with this one!
Thanks,
Rachel

[Moonshae]

I trust them to raise what they think is best. :)

Of course, if all the brood is drone brood, that's be a problem.

[Michael Bush]

More than 20% is too much.  This time of year, less than 10% is not enough.

[Scadsobees]

If you started with foundation and they are reworking a lot of it into drone comb, or they are laying drones in worker cells, then you have a problem.

A new hive will usually not start out with a lot of drone brood, so I'd be suspicious that something is up, especially if there isn't much drawn and they have a large amount of drone brood.

A big booming hive can support lots of drones, a little starting hive can't.

If the queen is badly mated then she will start laying drones.

Rick

[Rachel]

ugg... I don't know what to do!  I guess I'm just suprised that nothing is going on in there!!

[Michael Bush]

>I'm just suprised that nothing is going on in there!!

What exactly is going on in there?

[Rachel]

When I put them in the hive I gave them all new foundation except for two frames of drawn comb.  That is pretty much all they are using.  They have drawn comb on some nearby frames, but it is attached to everything and not "pretty".  I did see larvae, but I also saw a good amount of drone brood.  They also have honey or nectar around, but it is nothing like my organized hive!
R

[Michael Bush]

Do you have worker brood (flat capped brood)?  Or only a scattering of drone brood?  Or a lot of solid drone brood?  Do you have multiple eggs?  Have you seen the queen?