[pcord]

OK, here's my story and time will tell if I screwed the pooch or end up with two for the price of one...

Friday- Installed package
Saturday- removed cork from queen cage, pierced candy, replaced queen cage.
Sunday- pulled lid, noticed near dead queen on top of inner cover being attacked. Crap!
Monday- picked up new queen AND read Michael Bush's website that a package will almost NEVER ball their queen UNLESS... there is a queen that was mixed in with the package inadvertently.

So, guess what- I checked and found there was already a queen in the package, so, here's what I did:

Took the new caged queen and two moderately populated frames from the new package and put both in an empty hive. Put a feeder on, closed the top entrance and stuffed grass in the lower entrance. I'm a sap for bees and couldn't bring myself to just pinch the new queen I got so I figured, why not see if they will accept her after a few days and build both throughout the summer? So, did I manage to kill both packages or do you think this will actually work. FYI part I- I did make sure I did NOT move the queen from the packaged hive. FYI part II- all are on drawn comb for a head start.

 

[concrete-bees]

i doubt that they are doomed but slowed would be the word -

but feed then lots

 

[Monie]

In addition to feeding, it might not hurt to throw a pollen patty on the weak hive.

 

[concrete-bees]

sorry i didnt add more to my first reply

what you should also do is in about 3 weeks - start giving the weak have a frame of capped brood - from the stong hive - this will boost thier population so that the queen can start laying a bigger brood circle

i rarely pinch a queen - i will stick her in a nuc and let her live with a frame of brood - just incase the newbie becomes a deadbie

if everything goes great well then i get a free nuc to sell in a month

best of luck with it -- feed patties and syrup- 1:1 not 2:1
also keep them in the sun - helps keep a small brood cluster warmer