laying workers

[don2]

I don't know about turning them around after workers have started laying. The fact that I did not give brood to the colony that I found eggs in, I was about that time that the queen would have started laying had there been one. There was no capped brood so I could not know it was worker eggs, They all in the bottom of the cell and not multiples. The colony I added brood too had no eggs at the time, so I am assuming it kept them in check. Got two queen cells now. d2

[Michael Bush]

>So all this brings me to believe that if I have a nuc/small colony that fails in making a queen cell after adding 3 or more brood frames...
>Two years ago, I spent several months giving frames of open brood to a laying worker colony every 6 days, which turned into an ego battle between human and insect.

I've never seen it fail... but you can never tell with bees...

[rdy-b]

>So all this brings me to believe that if I have a nuc/small colony that fails in making a queen cell after adding 3 or more brood frames...
>Two years ago, I spent several months giving frames of open brood to a laying worker colony every 6 days, which turned into an ego battle between human and insect.

I've never seen it fail... but you can never tell with bees...

IF there is a virgin queen -or a queen that has failed -or one that mated and the drones failed
the combinations are several--RDY-B

[OldMech]

If giving brood works for others, fine. I read that Randy Oliver recommends combining laying workers with a Q+ colony - but personally I wouldn't recommend anything other than to cut one's losses, take the hit, cast those bees to the four winds - and simply make up another colony from scratch. It's a lot quicker, surer, and far more economical on resources.

   More often than not, Litle John is correct.
   I was taught to shake them out...  38 years ago, and agree that it is usually thte best time spent fo tthe work and use of resources involved..  but I have 50+ hives.....

   If you only have three or four hives....   
   It might be worth your time to add a frame of brood. Two weeks later, add another frame of brood..
   I have seen queen cells built on that second frame.   If not, add the third frame two weeks later..   
   Normally, it is the third frame that gets the queen cells drawn out.
   At this point, if they do not start a new queen within the next two weeks.. cut your losses and shake them out.