Broody Hen and the missing egg

[capebird]

I had placed 4 fertilized eggs under my broody
hen over 2 weeks ago. This morning when I let
the other 3 chickens out of the run the broody hen
came flying out from the nest to join the others (which she
hasn't done since the fertilized egg placement). I took the
opportunity to look in the nest with the fertilized eggs
and only saw 3 eggs (started with 4). I looked all around and
see no sign of the 4th egg. No shell... nothing. Could she
have eaten it? We have no snakes and there is no chance
a predator could have stolen it. any insights??

On another note I notice a strong unpleasant smell coming from the
nest box with the fertilized eggs. I'm wondering if that missing egg was
rotten and she somehow did away with it... or is one of the other eggs rotting....
or maybe the smell is somehow "normal"....?? again... any insights would
be welcome.
Thanks

 

[Time-Out]

I'd candle them. I had an egg go missing missing. Further inspection brought to my attention a suspicious stain outside of the nest box. I wonder if it got broken and eaten, or stolen by a rat, or dropped and eaten... the end result always being eaten.

Definitely candle the remaining ones and remove any that are rotten.