What To Do With Weak Hives?

[Michael Bach]

I have two former laying workers hives that have been shaken out and requeened. The queens have been accepted but has not started laying. I believe there is not enough bees left in the hives. One hive has about 2 1/2 frames of bees and the other has about 1 frame. It has been a month and the queens are still alive but not laying yet. I have battled robbing on both hives.

I have two booming hives that I could steal from if I had to.

What should I do to help thing along?

[hollybees]

I have also been nursing a weak hive, stealing brood from a strong hive twice.
Yeah, there doing better...but still not getting strong and not producing anything.

If I had it to do over I would have shook the bees off the frames and let them find a new home in the other hives.
Shake them or pinch the queen and combine them w/another hive.....it's not worth it I won't do it again.

I'm sure folks w/more knowledge then myself will chime in.

Good Luck,
Paul

[AllenF]

Well, if you want strong hives, combine them into one.  If you don't care about the strong hives, take a frame from them to keep your 2 now nucs going through summer.   For me, I would put a frame into each.

[checotah]

I had a week hive.  I ordered a new queen and replaced the old queen.  In a week the hive came to life.  It is going through a gallon a day of syrup and she is laying really well.