[little lion]

I got a call for a beautiful swarm.
I hived them. When can I check to see if she's laying? I go on vacation day 6 in the newly hived swarm's life.

I want to make sure I've got a queen.

I'll be back day 15 swarm life time.

I'll have a hive that should be giving me new strong eggs by then (they are requeening themselves). Is that too late?
Will I risk a worker hive situation at day 15?

Can I check the swarm hive on day 5 right before I go out of town?

 

[little lion]

I just wanted to add that I went back the next day and got some stragglers. When I brought them to the mouth of the hive they immediately walked in, no hesitation. They chose the hive over the branch they originally clustered in (I managed ti get it into the bee bus carrier).

 

[Nelsonhoneyfarms]

Did you install the swarm on drawn comb or foundation? If foundation, they may not have been able to drawn enough comb to get her laying yet. It’s fine to check on day 5. I’d just install an excluder between the box and the bottom board so she can’t get out the door. Once you have eggs, remove the excluder.

I had one not laying after 10 days and I knew I had the queen. Turns out it was an afterswarm (virgin queen swarm). I removed the excluder and had eggs within a couple of days.

 

[Vance G]

Drawing foundation is almost certainly not an impediment to a queen laying, Queens will lay in barely started cells knowing the workers will finish the job.

Putting a frame of brood with eggs to larvae in a swarm, shake off the donor hives bees first, will anchor the swarm and when you come back will instantly tell you if the swarm is queenrite. If no queen is present, you will have emergency cells. If you don't, you have a queen and you will have other frames to study for brood and eggs.