What to do with a dink in spring?

[yes2matt]

Hey y'all!

The bees made it, 6/6. Two needed supered today (any red maple that didn't pop last week definitely popped yesterday), I supered two more just for convenience of not needing to do it next week, one is a little behind but definitely busting it. One is a dink. Hand-sized brood nest on two frames, and patchy. Tho Q has got all the gaps filled with eggs at least.  Maybe three good frames of bees.

So right now the plan is to nurse them along until I get some drones then raise a new Q and see what she can do.

But I'm open to suggestions if there are better ideas ... maybe pull the Q and combine with the small but happy hive?

[Donovan J]

I think you should wait and see what happens. There's not many drones around right now so if any new queen wanted to mate it couldn't or it would be difficult to. The dispatch queen and but into a stronger hive seems like a viable option. Just my opinion on things

[CoolBees]

Congrats on your hives making it!

I also have a dink hive coming out of winter. Per HP's advice here, I let them be and they are catching up now. Just a thought.

[Oldbeavo]

With the 3 frames of bees, cut back the size of room they have, take supers off as you have a flow, if the queen has layed on the other frames then there is 3 weeks before you will have an increase in bee numbers.
They need to be able to keep the new brood warm.

[MikeCinWV]

Was it small going into winter?  What do the other five look like?  Could you donate nurse bees and/or a frame of capped brood from one of the others?  Sometimes that boost in brood and bees can make a huge difference.  Maybe get a feeder on it until it builds to a decent size even if you have a flow.  Sometimes the queen looks like a dud until she gets to that critical number of bees she needs to succeed and then she really takes off.   I would only take from a strong hive.

[yes2matt]

Was it small going into winter?  What do the other five look like?  Could you donate nurse bees and/or a frame of capped brood from one of the others?  Sometimes that boost in brood and bees can make a huge difference.  Maybe get a feeder on it until it builds to a decent size even if you have a flow.  Sometimes the queen looks like a dud until she gets to that critical number of bees she needs to succeed and then she really takes off.   I would only take from a strong hive.

Two needed a super this weekend.
I supered two others for the sake of my convenience. 
One was a late start, an August split, amd is small but vigorous. 
And the dink.

I told the dink "you have a week to turn it around" and I figure to combine with the small but vigorous colony with the view to split back out when we get drones. Since I'm going to requeen anyway, why not cull now?

[blackforest beekeeper]

Congrats on your hives making it!

I also have a dink hive coming out of winter. Per HP's advice here, I let them be and they are catching up now. Just a thought.

They will probably be able to catch a summer-flow if the queen is o.k. If not, you can make nucs out of it later on. three frames of bees will pop back.

[Acebird]

amd is small but vigorous. 
And the dink.

There's your answer.  Take bees out of your power house and give to the dink.  The queen can't lay if there are not enough bees to tend.