New hive arriving and I am confused ??? TIA!

[Bees In Miami]

My apologies, Newbee here!  I am sure these questions have been asked a million times, but after searching prior posts, I am more confused than ever.     A friend that has (a little) more experience with bees than I do has taken one of my swarms back to his house to get the hive working.  The new hive will be returned tonight.  His house is 5 miles from here.  So, do they need branches in front of the hive entrance, or not?  I will feed them on arrival, yes?  Remove feeder as soon as I know they are forraging, or feed for several days?  Smoke them when they arrive to help settle them down?  Should I smoke the yard area prior to removing the seal so they smell smoke immediately?  The last hive he brought back, we did not have a smoker, and they were pretty angry.  I'd like to keep them as calm as possible so they aren't traumatized.   I have pretty much concluded through posts that distance between the hives is irrelevant, even though one is established here, and the other will be new?   Sorry for all the dumb questions...I am learning as fast as I can!  :'(  Thanks in advance! 

[BlueBee]

No branches needed when bees are moved a long distance (miles)

I put a frame of honey in with my swarms to give them some starter food and I do not feed them anything else.  What you should do depends upon your climate and the size of the swarm to some extent.  Being the wet season down there I assume things are blooming, but I don’t know your climate very well.  If there is nectar in nature, I would skip feeding.  Feeding syrup has it’s own perils, such as attracting robbers. 

I’ve never smoked after a move.  I suppose if they are getting aggressive (and stinging) I would resort to smoke.

Distance between hives is pretty irrelevant unless one hive is huge and one hive is small.  The small hive would likely get robbed. 

[David McLeod]

Well I can see your first mistake, asking a bunch of beekeepers. It is a fact of beekeeping that if you ask ten beekeepers you'll get a dozen answers and they'll all be right.
Setting up a swarm or new colony is fairly simple. Just get them to. o their permanent location and let them be for at least a week or two so they can get settled. Bees are home bodies and like there normal jroutine and tend to dislike being disrupted from normal. Hence bees are almost always ill when moved. The best you can do is get them moved as calmly and quickly as possible make all your adjustments and let them be.
Adjustments would be feeding if needed, closing down the entrance of needed, adding branches if needed.
Feed is needed if they have insufficient stores on board and/or a lack of available forage. The opening should be narrowed only if the colony lacks the numbers and strength to defend themselves. Branches or other obstacles are needed only if they have been moved within their normal forage range ie close enough to return to their former location. (I almost never use branches but instead leave them closed up 24-48 to reset their clock and then pull the blocking but leave it in the entrance leaving just a small gap.)
Other considerations would be nearby threats. Large strong colonies in the area are a robbing threat so if you feed consider how. Internal (division board, top feeder, baggie) are safer than external (boardman). Ants are always a concern as well. If you have a solution for them I'm all ears.
Good luck.

[Bees In Miami]

Thank you so much for the input!  I've been wanting bees for several years now, and with two swarms on our property, the bees kinda made me jump in head first!  I didn't have time to check to see if there was water in the pool!   :-D  Our latest addition will arrive here shortly, and I guess I won't feed them.  There is plenty in bloom in Florida at the moment, and plenty of fallen mango and such to feed on as well.  The bees will be in heaven here soon with all the fall crops starting ina month or so.  Thanks for putting up with my ignorance!  Your input and time is appreciated, and taken in.  Thanks again! 

[BlueBee]

Good luck down there in Miami. 

Once a swarm has made up it's mind to stay in your hive/box, they're virtually carefree.

[Bees In Miami]

Thanks again, it was a very easy transition thus far.  Hopefully they will wake in the morning and Bee Happy!   :)   Thanks so much for your help and input! 

[BeeMaster2]

Next time, leave them closed up for a half hour before opening them up. This lets them settle down. By then they are ready to get out and investigate. They will pour out. I have had my bare hand on their porch removing staples with hundreds pouring out with no problem.
Jim