Broken egg under broody hen

[ChickenTenderz]

I got 8 hatching eggs for my broody hen Saturday. I just went to check on her (monday) and there were only 7. One had been cracked, crushed and is all over the other eggs. I removed her and the eggs, took out all the egg goop and replaced the eggs on clean shavings and put her back. Should I leave the eggs with dried yolk on them or should they be wiped off? I don't want to contaminate them more than they already are. I would just start with fresh eggs but we don't have a rooster and I'd have to hunt more fertilized eggs. She seems to have chosen the popular nesting box so I don't know if there was a scuffle that broke the egg?

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I think it'll be okay if you leave it. If you wash them it takes away the protective layer on top.

 

[ChickenTenderz]

Ok, I had wiped them with my hand but nothing else. She has chosen a nesting box up off the ground that seems to be a favorite one...do you think I should try to mover her to one she doesn't have to jump to get in? Not sure what happened to break the egg but she is a big girl...Black Australorp.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I think she'll have the desire to go back to the original nest box but you can try to move her if it looks like more eggs will get damaged.