Hello Rick:
 
FYI the following are signs of a hive with a laying worker:
1. Several eggs laid per cell.  The eggs are usually located on the sides of
the cell because the laying workers abdomen does cannot reach the bottom of
the cell.
2.  Only drone cells, denoted by domed cappings, will be formed in the brood
chamber because the laying worker can only lay unfertilized (male) eggs.
 
If a laying workers hasn't already developed and there are eggs three days
old or younger then the workers will prepare several queen cells from the
eggs.  The queen cells that are used to replace a queen will be located
toward the center of the comb.
The disadvantage of letting the hive "naturally" replace a queen is a
diminished hive population.  You would lose 20+ days of a queen laying
approx. 1500 eggs per day.
 
Good luck,
Mike