# Walter Kelly Queens 2012



## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm really just curious if anyone else has had problems with spring queens from WK? 
Out of 5 queens I purchased this spring, 3 have ended up drone layers, 1 did well but was superceded. The fifth was killed but that was my error. I'm in a position with some of my queens that I won't have to purchase any other than to broaden my drone spectrum.
I've had nothing but good things to say about and will continue to do business with them. Just wondering if they have had problems with some of there batches.


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## timgoodin (Mar 10, 2007)

I ordered 10 and they are doing great. Tim


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## wheeler88 (Mar 6, 2011)

I ordered a 3 lb package from Walter Kelly in april this year and the queen was a drone layer. Had to requeen the hive and it still is struggling, I am still feeding it and had to add a frame of brood from another hive to help it out.......................


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## ArtD (Oct 21, 2009)

I received 3, 3# pkgs from WK and 1 queen arrived DOA. The other 2 are doing well but not great. I will continue to buy hardware from them.


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## ShrekVa (Jan 13, 2011)

had 3 from them this spring one is left doing mediocre the worst was a package that came full of comb complete with drone layer problem never excepted that queen


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## Dunkel (Jun 12, 2009)

I ordered 4 queens the last of May to make nucs with. They filled two deeps and I added supers a week ago and haven't feed them at all. Very happy with the queens. The only thing I can think of was that these were latter in the season.


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## Bsupplier (Dec 23, 2008)

We guarantee our queens if notified in a reasonable time period of problems. What type of queens were the problem queens?


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## wheeler88 (Mar 6, 2011)

The 3 lb. package I ordered were Italian....how long would it take til you know your queen is a drone layer, 2 weeks, or 3 weeks or maybe a month.


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## Bsupplier (Dec 23, 2008)

After your queen begins to lay, the cells will be capped in the late larval stage. 6-7 days. Drone brood is apparent as the cappings are much more pronounced than worker brood with a domed shaped cap resembling a BB or bullet. If you see cappings of drones intermixed with worker brood then it's an indication of an improperly mated queen. Generally drones are raised at the edges of frames. If you see solid drone brood then you have a drone laying queen. If I saw either in my hive I would replace the queen.


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## wheeler88 (Mar 6, 2011)

I quess I should have contacted Walter T Kelly as soon as I noticed the queen was a drone layer, before I ordered a queen from another source, maybe WK would have sent me another queen. I have always received good service from them.............


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## ShrekVa (Jan 13, 2011)

mine were italian, i corrosponded with someone in customer service via email, friendly but no replacement, though i did not ask for one.


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## Bsupplier (Dec 23, 2008)

I am sorry to hear about your problems. We guarantee you a fertile, properly mated queen however we have to recieve this request in a timley manner as there are so many variables when keeping bees.


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## seal62 (Apr 17, 2011)

I got 6 packs from Kelley mid May . MNHY x VHS . Two had q's doa , a couple packs had alot of dead bees . I called for replacements that day,they sent Italians, they were out of the cross . Well the bees dont show and i had to call back . Queenless for 10 days . One word about the replacement Italians ...sad . All queens were to be marked , didnt happen . So out of 8 q's I have one i like , two i wanna like ,,and 3 i will never like . I never got a look at the dead ones . I like the other products ...the great service..that meaning someone who picks up the phone ...invoice sent to email . ( i have wing clippers back ordered over 2 months , wont need them this season ) ...the shipping costs are another matter ..true from Dadant also . I'm disapointed ..but im use to it...im from Michigan ...have you seen the Lions ?


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Sorry Bsupplier,
As I said, you all have been great to me. The last queen I got, was to me in late April , early May. She just turned drone layer. What is timely fashion in this case?


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## Bsupplier (Dec 23, 2008)

Seal,
Im a little confused about your back order. We have never carried wing clippers and probably wont, we really dont believe in clipping wings. I will look at your account when I return from EAS and see why the delay on queens. I would guess it was because we couldnt get them. Please pm me with name and address.
Rick please do the same.


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