Requeening

[Barnabus]

Hi:
I'm new to this forum and realitive new to bee keeping this is my third year. It's terrible to start off with a problem but for the most part I've been able to solve many situations just by reading this forum.

One of my hives has a nonfunctial queen. The top brood box is full of honel/polen no empty cells, the bottom brood box is seventy percent full of honey/polen. There are very few caped brood and they are scartered no pattern. There are plenty of bees in the hive now.  This of course means I need to requeen or let them raise their own. I would prefer to requeen.
My question is: What do I do about space for her to start laying? Do I take out some frames and replace them with new (I only have new ones with foundation) ones. Do I replace one of the brood boxes? I guess I need someone to share with me what they would do if it were their hive.
I live in South Carolina so our honey flow is comming to an end maybe two more weeks.
By the way the bees filled one shallow super with honey but only about one forth is capped.
I would appreciate any information you can give.
Thanks
Barnabus

[Jerrymac]

Perhaps the queen is fine, she just got crowded out and has to search out places to lay eggs. I would put another box on the bottom with preferably drawn comb. If not then foundation. See how she does then. Or if you want to be safe about it, keep her around until you get another queen. But I would still give them some room.

[thegolfpsycho]

I think they need some room right away.  If you are down to only 3 frames with brood, I would expect them to take wing soon.  I would get some drawn comb, ot foundation if it's all you have, alternated with the brood frames quickly, and move the frames of nectar up.  Sounds like the queen did a fine job, and she is slowing down only for lack of room.

[SherryL]

Barnabus, you don't say how old that queen is.  If she's more than a year old, you may be correct in thinking you need a younger queen.  If she's new(er), then yes, she probably only needs more space.  I don't think you need to worry about the only frame you have beeing foundation, as long as you're giving them more space, they'll probably be happy to draw them out.