Neglected hives. Should I checkerboard?

[Chris.english70]

I've still been waiting to get into the deep brood boxes on the three hives I "inherited".  The weather still hasn't cooperated much, lots of overcast and windy days.  I have managed to re-level the hives and put on screened bottom boards and added another deep brood box on each as they had worked the brood up into the honey supers (mediums) my uncle had left on to over winter.  I've fumed them down and put a queen excluder between the brood boxes and the honey supers.

As I went into one hive, I opened it up to be confronted by the inner cover completely covered in drones.  As I pulled the honey super off to put in the queen excluder I noticed this was the only hive that hadn't drawn any comb on the new brood box. Lots of bees, just no action on the new foundation.

When I go back into finally clean up the old brood box (which will require a long knife and long patience), should I checkerboard?

Any insight is appreciated.

[Psparr]

You could certainly checkerboard. My guess though is you might run into some messed up, or old comb that might need culled and could just put the foundation down in the brood nest.