Thoughts and Suggestions First inspection this year

[rx2006je]

I went today and inspected my 2 hives for the first time this year. The hive that was weak all last year was literally booming with bees. There was atleast 8 frames with brood in the second deep box and the queen has a fairly good laying pattern. There were also plenty of drones present. Did see a few swarm cells but not very many. I removed 2 frames of brood and put them in my other hive (more on that later). I also added a box of drawn comb on the top and moved the brood chamber back down ot the bottom of the hive.

The Second hive that i looked into was my strongest hive the past 2 years. When i opened it up there were very few bees in there, I would say about 1/3 population. There was one swarm cell that I could find, and no drones. There was also two small spots of brood about the size of a fist in good tight patterns, and uncapped brood. So I did not see the queen in there but she has to be there if there was uncapped brood and eggs. My question is did the hive swarm? I did place the 2 frames of brood over into this hive from the other hive to help boost the population. They had about a frame of honey store left. I moves the brood chamber back down to the bottom and placed the bottom box back on top of the brood chamber. The box above the brood now had several frames that looked to have pollen in it but it looked to have been from last year. What if anything should i do with this hive. My plan is to re check in a week and see of there has been a population increase from the other brood put in and see if the queen is laying more. Also I am going to keep an eye on the 1st hive to make sure that they aren't building up for a swarm and I will continue to take brood and move over to the other hive if i have to.

[Kathyp]

if there are swarm cells that's what they are fixing to do.  if you can find the queen and you have enough bees/equipment, you can move her and some brood and workers to another hive.  the 1st hive (hopefully) will think they have swarmed and maybe stay put.  this way at least you don't lose that queen.  if she's crappy later you can off her and either requeen or recombine.

just curious as to why you moved all the brood to the bottom? 

i'd guess that your 2nd hive swarmed and you have a new queen.