Caged queens viability

[Beelab]

I bought 12 mated queens a while back, but due to torrential rains, I wasn?t able to do my intended requeening until 2 weeks later.
In the meantime, I kept all my queens and their attendants alive.
I wasn?t able yet to check on all of the requeened ones, but noticed the splits chose to make a new queen and I couldn?t find the pedigree marked one?
Do the newly mated queens suffer and lose some of their pheromones if caged for 2 weeks?
The rains were just relentless. I just wonder how I could have done better.
We did have a rain free week predicted, but we just got drowned.

I still hope a couple of my colonies who really needed requeening took on the new queen.
Or is there zero chance too?

[BeeMaster2]

Newly mated queens should bee ok. Virgin queens have a ticking clock and the longer they wait to bee mated the less app they are to bee properly mated.
Jim Altmiller

[TheHoneyPump]

Yes queens pheremones weaken when caged.  Still good and strong and viable, just not as strong as an actively laying queen. Much of the strength of acceptance and time of acceptance relates to how many bees are swapping spit with her before she is freed from the cage and allowed free roaming of the hive.
Queens that have been caged longer will need a longer introduction period, such as leaving the cork in for 3 to 5 days, check and destroy all cells started, then remove the cork and ensure a thick layer of candy for a slow release.  Some queens may take 2 weeks to get going, others are much quicker.  Depends on the condition of the queen and of the hive receiving her.
Whenever in doubt or concerned/worried, use a push-in cage in a hive, or get her going in a nuc first for a couple weeks so she is revved up and ready for a hive. 
As for how long they can be banked. We regularly bank for up to a month or more and used them with no problems.  Just as I said though, with longer introduction.
Queens have been banked over winter from October thru April and used in April/May, also with good success.
Properly cared for, caged queens keep fine and for long periods.  There is no need to panic about foul weather delays, wrt the queens. Though such delays do set back the apiary plans, there is no risk to the queens in waiting.
There have been studies and data showing that the temperature conditions that stored queens are exposed to is what affects their viability and performance. It is not that they have been caged; it is whether they got too cold or too hot while handling. That is where my focus is when determining what to expect from a particular batch of queens.
Keep in mind and always remember that when you buy queens you have no idea how long they have already been caged and banked. So treat all of them like cold blocks that need to be warmed up before they can be restarted.
We can rush many things in beekeeping.  One thing we cannot is queens.  When we do, the success rate falls sharply. 

Hope that helps.