Nice photos. If mine, this is what I would do, but accept it as that and please find your own way.
The boxes actually don't look beyond use. Look for dead and slimy brood in the comb and do a sugar roll for mites. If you see significant brood problems, pass and order a package. If your mite count is beyond 80 and the hive looks weak, pass. Don't be discouraged if you find them because today almost all hives have them. Unless it hits you over the head, don't worry too much about smell. Also, since its early, don't worry too much about mold. Last year a couple of hives came through winter both low in numbers and full of green mold. Within a month spring cleaning kicked in an they were fine.
Compared to a single two deep hive, two hives of one deep each is a piece of cake to move. If it can divide into two active seven active drawn frames 4-5 brood frames each, I suspect great success in getting two hives. The one with the queen will build quickly as spring progressives with high likelihood of harvest.
If this was my opportunity, I'd divide the hive where it is using the two new deeps, salvage as many frames as appear usable and make sure that both have freshly laid eggs. Look for a slender white grain of rice at the bottom of the cell. The ones standing on end are that day or not much more. The ones laying on the side are a couple days old. Both should do. They will be much easier to see than the queen.
The queen. For this experience, I don't advise spending too much time on her since this early she may be slimmed and not easy to find. Also the more she is exposed, the greater chance of loss or damage. Best way I found her is to look at the frame in its entirety and watch for unique movement. If you see a longer bee in the middle of that, you found her. Now be careful and promptly secure her within your hive.
The hive without a queen will raise their own. It will obviously build slower and new brood will not appear until she emerges, mates and begins laying. This is a common queen-less split and I experienced success. Just make sure both hives have enough bees to keep warm.
Use the gear you have to get started and only replace the frames too far gone. If you don't get a chance to get two bottoms, keep one of the existing with the hole, they really don't need a landing board. The remaining gear can be cleaned and repaired with the same effort as buying new and a trade-off. You have time to buy more before they outgrow a single deep.
Do all this where the hive is now an let it sit for a day.
In the evening after the girls hunkered down for the evening, securely close the entrance with duct tape, masking tape, #8 hardware cloth or similar. Strap the top, deep and bottom so the hole hive handles like a box. Move that evening or the next day. Give a little time to settle or make sure you wear complete battle gear before opening.
Consider treating with formic acid pads. IMHO they do a great job of knocking down hive with very high mite counts to the teens and below within a couple weeks. It also helps with tracheal mites and show promise in reducing small hive beetle.
If successful, you will be way ahead of a package.
Good luck and enjoy yourself and the honey.
The boxes actually don't look beyond use. Look for dead and slimy brood in the comb and do a sugar roll for mites. If you see significant brood problems, pass and order a package. If your mite count is beyond 80 and the hive looks weak, pass. Don't be discouraged if you find them because today almost all hives have them. Unless it hits you over the head, don't worry too much about smell. Also, since its early, don't worry too much about mold. Last year a couple of hives came through winter both low in numbers and full of green mold. Within a month spring cleaning kicked in an they were fine.
Compared to a single two deep hive, two hives of one deep each is a piece of cake to move. If it can divide into two active seven active drawn frames 4-5 brood frames each, I suspect great success in getting two hives. The one with the queen will build quickly as spring progressives with high likelihood of harvest.
If this was my opportunity, I'd divide the hive where it is using the two new deeps, salvage as many frames as appear usable and make sure that both have freshly laid eggs. Look for a slender white grain of rice at the bottom of the cell. The ones standing on end are that day or not much more. The ones laying on the side are a couple days old. Both should do. They will be much easier to see than the queen.
The queen. For this experience, I don't advise spending too much time on her since this early she may be slimmed and not easy to find. Also the more she is exposed, the greater chance of loss or damage. Best way I found her is to look at the frame in its entirety and watch for unique movement. If you see a longer bee in the middle of that, you found her. Now be careful and promptly secure her within your hive.
The hive without a queen will raise their own. It will obviously build slower and new brood will not appear until she emerges, mates and begins laying. This is a common queen-less split and I experienced success. Just make sure both hives have enough bees to keep warm.
Use the gear you have to get started and only replace the frames too far gone. If you don't get a chance to get two bottoms, keep one of the existing with the hole, they really don't need a landing board. The remaining gear can be cleaned and repaired with the same effort as buying new and a trade-off. You have time to buy more before they outgrow a single deep.
Do all this where the hive is now an let it sit for a day.
In the evening after the girls hunkered down for the evening, securely close the entrance with duct tape, masking tape, #8 hardware cloth or similar. Strap the top, deep and bottom so the hole hive handles like a box. Move that evening or the next day. Give a little time to settle or make sure you wear complete battle gear before opening.
Consider treating with formic acid pads. IMHO they do a great job of knocking down hive with very high mite counts to the teens and below within a couple weeks. It also helps with tracheal mites and show promise in reducing small hive beetle.
If successful, you will be way ahead of a package.
Good luck and enjoy yourself and the honey.
