Making nucs with swarm cells - Delay in mating ?

[ThomasGR]

I made a few nucs before a month from colonies ready to swarm. I gave frames of brood with many queen cells in each nuc. Maybe over 10-15 cells. After a month none of them is mated but all queens present in the nucs and a broodnest shape area is prepared. Some of them are in bad shape, wings not ok, they walk a litle bit strange etc. Is this because of multiple battles between the young queens ? A small swarm that left from a nuc was placed in a small mating hive and mated in a few days. Leaving only 1-2 queen cells will fix this delay ?

[Michael Bush]

If they haven't mated in a month, they will be drone layers if they ever mate.  A little bit if syrup will often stimulate queens to fly when they are not flying...