First, I wouldn't completely sacrifice all the colonies at once. I would remove frames of bees and brood...over time, and last brood harvest the queens are removed and what's left becomes the last nuc. This allows the old queens to produce you additional frames of brood. We do this every year, making 350+. Each nuc gets two frames of brood and bees, and a frame of honey and one empty comb. We begin splitting about June 15, and finish about July 15. All nucs get a mated queen. We don't ask the nucs to raise their own queens. Doing so just limits what can be done. Also, when brood and bees are removed, the frames are replaced with comb not foundation. Foundation slows down brood production. Finding the queen? No need...Just be sure the queen isn't on the frames of brood you harvest.