Broody hen laid an egg with 1 week to go before eggs hatch

[Penny Henny]

Hi, im new to looking after chickens....My bantam has been clucky and sitting on 6 fertalised eggs for the past two weeks, and with one week to go before they hatch, she decided to lay an egg??!!!! She has gone back and sat on them but i was wondering if the others will still hatch or if it means she is now gone unbroody? Thanks for your help

 

[Judy]

If other hens have access, you can about bet that another hen laid it. Either she got into the same nest or the broody moved the egg from another nest. If you know which egg it is, you should remove it, because it won't hatch. The mama will abandon it when the hatched chicks are several hours or a day old, and take the chicks out of the nest.

A broody will lay an egg once in a while, but it's rare.