trish
I have never tried to make queens and don't have real content to add to most of your questions.  I did hear and interesting thought on a Tim Ives vidio today.  His position was that you did not really want to make really early queens from your the very first hive that is brooding up real early and gets drones first.  His position was that those drones on that very early brooding hive may be the only drones around which would increase the likelihood of inbreeding.
Just threw this out there cause I had never thought about it like that and it might fit to some of your question.
Good luck
gww 

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