[hvanhillo99]

picked up package today bees looked good only about 12 dead ones opened it up pulled queen cage and queen was dead called supplier and he said put bees in hive and intact cage with dead queen in hive as she will still smell like a queen and they will cluster around dead queen until I get replacement queen on fri afternoon so I did put hive top feeder with 1:1 syrup and closed hive they seemed good flying and fanning the entrance this seemed like logical solution for the time being I'm hoping they will be good and I left corks in place so they could not access the candy plug what are your thoughts thanks

 

[JStinson]

Sounds like that's all you could have possibly done. They should be fine.

 

[Schnee]

There is a chance that she is dead because there was a queen shook into the package, you might check for brood in a few days. I have read many posts and responses on here that when the caged queen is dead, there is usually an existing queen in the package.

 

[hvanhillo99]

I'm getting new queen today so should I remove dead queen that is still in her cage and install new queen or wait and see if there was a loose queen in package. if wait how do I keep the new queen alive and well also do I have to remove dead queen and wait 24 hrs or just put new queen in I am very green to all of this thanks for the help . I was really hoping my 1st package install would go without a hitch but apparently not.

 

[Michael Bush]

In my experience there is likely a queen loose in the package (now loose in the hive) and they will likely kill the replacement as well...

 

[hvanhillo99]

then I will remove dead queen cage and wait a few days and see if building comb and see if any eggs or larva I'm hoping that if there is a loose queen she will start laying asap

 

[sterling]

If the new queen has attendants you can keep her for a pretty good while. Just put the cage in the house in a quite place in a small brown paper bag and put a drop of water on the cage everyday. Check for a queen or eggs in the hive. If there is a queen in there she should start to laying soon unless she is not mated yet.

 

[hvanhillo99]

just an update. I added the new queen cage fri afternoon worried she would be killed due to a loose queen being in package. well I laid the queen cage next to the hive while taking the hive covers off and the cage was covered by happy bees glad to smell a queen. What a relief I looked in yesterday since it is the only day above 55 for the next week Filled hive top feeder and checked cage all 6 of the attendants were dead but queen was out and I could see wax being built up on my rightcell foundation checked 1 frame and there she was she stuck out like a sore thumb being new I'm glad she has a very bright golden hind end .gently put frame back slid it tight to next frame and installed rest of outer frames as I finish I see her come up over the frame and down between the next 2 then I closed the hive up. I should have started this hobby a long time ago. It's awesome!