Question on Queen Cell and hive survival?

[harvey]

Hello All,  about a month ago I checked my hive for the first time.  There was absoulutely no brood or eggs.  The bees are in two deeps.  I checked every frame.  There did appear to be one queen cell in the top box on frame 5.  I have checked the box weekly since, again it has been four weeks since I found no brood.  Now there is still no brood.  what I thought was a queen cell is gone and there appears to be another one on a different spot on a different frame.  I can't see how they could make a queen if there are no eggs?  but the queen cell is capped?  Also there is still no brood or any sign of any eggs.  What I don't understand is that the bee's are as gentle as they have ever been.  And there appears to still be an aweful lot of bees in there.  They are filling the two deeps full of honey right now and are capping it too?   I actually added a super.   

[Michael Bush]

They will often try to raise a queen even if they only have an egg from a laying worker.  usually this fails, of course.  Once in a while it succeeds... but I wouldn't count on that.  I'd give them a frame of brood... find another beekeeper if you have to... get another hive, even better...

[harvey]

I am anxiously waiting for two packages right now.  I recon that when i get them If the queen starts laying quick enough maybe I could move fresh eggs into this hive.  or maybe combine these bees with the new package and then later in the year try my hand at a split?

[Michael Bush]

A combine and a split later will probabl be the best.