[ccar2000]

Ok, so I checked the hives today and the queen cages were vacant (three full days after install). Good news! Right? I just spread the frames enough to remove the cages then pushed them back together nice and slowly, added more syrup to the top feeders and buttoned them up. I know... I'm trying to be patient about removing frames and looking for her majesty.
I have the entrance reducer open to the smallest hole thinking I need to limit the flow of bees and reduce the risk of robbing. There are some full frames of honey in the single deep boxes.
Right now my immediate concern is when is an appropriate time to turn the reducer to the larger opening and/or remove it completely? Secondly, do I wait seven or ten days from the time the queen is released to inspect for eggs and larvae? I am trying to be patient here.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[honeydreams]

If the queens are in the hive wait a good week. I know its hard but it will pay off. and congrats that you have some bees:applause:

 

[Ravenseye]

Relax. I rarely look for the queen. I just wait until I know I'll be able to see larvae. My eyes aren't great so I never look for eggs either. Give it time...you'll see! As far as the reducer, I'd leave it in until the colony is fairly well established. Look for bees struggling to get in when they're returning from gathering flights. I mean, they're kind of piled up trying to get in and out. That's a good time to open the entrance up. Alternatively, give them an additional upper entrance. I feed with 1 gallon pails and I place those pails on an inner cover, surrounded by an old deep and then topped with an outer cover. The hole in the inner cover is often used by the bees to access the syrup as well as the colony.

 

[alpha6]

Give it a week so that she has had time to really lay some pattern. Then look for your queen. Sure you can look for eggs to see that she is laying, but you need to practice spotting your queens. Take out the outermost frame first. Then move the next frame towards the end and when you have a good 1/2 space then remove it upward. This will keep you from rolling your bees and crushing the queen. Once you find the queen replace the frames the same way. Place her frame back in and slowly push it to the right space against the next frame. Replace the rest of the frames the same way.

congrats and don't be afraid to learn about your hive by opening it.