Hi, I'm new at this site and new to baby chicks. I've got 2 pet bantam hens that are both sitting on some eggs - just got a rooster a couple of months ago. I think its about day 20 and I just found a cracked, rotten egg under one hen. It was fertilized, but not developed. I removed it and cleaned up a bit, but I didnt know if I should move the hens and eggs or just leave it. they are nesting in hay and I'm rather afraid of the bacteria possiblity from the broken egg.
Yeah, it smells gross but don't mess around too much with the hen or the other eggs. Give her time to finish the hatch then you can clean out the nest for good and get her and the chicks into some fresh bedding. The smell will go away fairly quick.