Can you unite a colony with QC's?

[Jonnyl]

Hello everyone. First inspection of the year on Monday and as I feared one of my two hives was queenless. I'm angry with myself as I then panicked instead of walking away and thinking. I stole a frame of eggs from my other hive and adhered bees and placed that frame in a nuc with frames from the q- hive and of course the bees which were left. Went back today and sure enough QC's being drawn. However there won't be drones to mate her. I'm kicking myself as I know I should have united the two instead of trying to rear a queen. The question is now that they have started to build cells is it advisable to unite them now? Will they tear down the QCs or will they kill my only queen if I were to unite? Been pondering all day. TIA.

 

[Ian123]

Knock down the cells and unite you should be fine as long as no cells have emerged.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Knock down the cells and unite you should be fine as long as no cells have emerged.

I would also make sure they have no larvae left to make further QC's before uniting

 

[Jonnyl]

No cells emerged, I only took the eggs on monday. So the answer is unite but only after 1. Tearing down all the cells already made and 2. Making sure they're hopelessly queenless thereafter? I may wait 2 or 3 days before I go back in, better to only do it once and then get them all at the same time?
So when that's done I move them from the nuc and put them back in the hive brood body on top with newspaper. Should I restrict it to the nuc frames only and dummy it down or does this matter? They're 14x12s. Thanks for your help. It is very much appreciated.