I don't use reducers much, but when I do I take them out when the bees can cover the whole width of the hive. So when you have bees almost all of your frames when you open the hive you can take the reducer out. Also when the entrance get plugged and bees have to wait, it is time to take it out.
The queen should never have to wait for brood to hatch. She should be laying until fall when she slows and probably stops. Then she will start again after the solstice and slowly speed up as spring comes.
Leave the excluder off until some bees have moved up into your honey super and have started drawing comb. Then shake them down, or make sure that the queen is below and you can add the excluder under the honey super.
The queen should never have to wait for brood to hatch. She should be laying until fall when she slows and probably stops. Then she will start again after the solstice and slowly speed up as spring comes.
Leave the excluder off until some bees have moved up into your honey super and have started drawing comb. Then shake them down, or make sure that the queen is below and you can add the excluder under the honey super.
