"On a side note the bees in the strong hive seem to all be hanging out on the top bars of the hive, even though there's lots of stores, and what's left of a sugar brick sitting on top (they seem to be dropping it out on the bottom board for the most part). Is this normal? I was going to try a split if I can equalize the hives? Any advice is appreciated."
tommy, the bees are probably 'hanging out' on the top bars of the hive because they are dragging out the remnants of the left over sugar brick on the bottom board..........just my guess.....so yes, normal. eventually they will move down.
"wouldn't that cause trouble with guard bees and foragers fighting???"
equalization.......your aim is to remove frames with nurse bees/house bees on them, nurse bees have no alliance. when i remove frames (be it brood, pollen or honey stores)to equalize or give to other hives, depending on what frames i am moving, i tend to give the frames a shake, if i need to add extra bees i don't shake.....these are frames with house bees.....foragers might get transferred in the process, however foragers return to their original hive, unless i move the hive. if you are concerned about fighting bees when transferring frames, give them a light spray of sugar syrup.
if you are switching positions of hives, foragers bearing pollen/nectar will be examined by the guard bees, but allowed into the hive (they are bringing food into the colony).