...move the queen to the bottom hive, add a drawn super (foundation or foundation less will bee good) then add a double screen (window screen) then a brood box with all stages of brood, (cut slots in old comb with eggs and day old larvae), then if you have another brood box, add a single screen with a front entrance, then add your next brood box and a top entrance. Now all three hives smell like they are queen right. After 30 days inspect each box, if they have a mated queen, split the hives into their own boxes.
Jim, this is really helpful. But I want to turn it into a checklist so I get it right. I use mediums so that may or may not play into making sure the original hive has sufficient space over the next month. Please correct as needed to make sure I have it right.
I'm tired of being on the run from pre-swarm conditions, and making up nucs with swarm cells in a hurry, and ferrying away a nuc with Queenie to a far away place.
Bottom box(es)1. From parent hive, pull two frames with eggs laid in light-colored comb that is not heavily cocooned, or else if it is dark comb, make little snips so a good Q cell can be drawn out.
2. Probably at the same time, it would be good to expand the brood nest size with drawn comb at the edges.
Leave 40% drawn/empty frames in the parent hive, or if all 10 frames are packed, then add a drawn or foundationless super, so over the next 30 days the original bees feel there's room to grow.
3. On top, stack a double window screen that has a gap of 3/4" between screens (or a Snellgrove board).
4. On top, stack a box from the SAME HIVE (?) or a mix of bees/brood of various ages from 3 or more hives, so they don't fight. Put the eggs frames in this box with a good amount of stores.
Entrance - faces different (?) direction.
Perhaps an Imirie Shim would be a good entrance, with a little brightly colored tack-on landing board to help a new Q back from a mating flight...
5. On top, stack a single window screen. Any reason why we wouldn't just use another double screen? So all the equipment is the same?
6. Repeat Layer #4 above. Face the entrance either to front or to side...?
7. Now this layer cake is getting pretty high since my hive stand is a pleasant-for-working 26" bench. And I wanted to add slatted rack this year.
8. Let it cook 30 days and check for eggs in layers #4 and #6.
Did I get this right?