Is my hen broody?

[Kearaaaa23]

Hello, my 6 month old rhode rock hen laid an egg today morning and rolled it under her. The egg wouldn’t have been fertilized as we don’t have a cockerel. We put in some hay for her and she made a nest around it and sat on it for around 20 minutes. Then she started trying to escape and I let her out and she’s just roaming around. Do I take the egg out? Is she broody or not?

 

[Shadrach]

Hello, my 6 month old rhode rock hen laid an egg today morning and rolled it under her. The egg wouldn’t have been fertilized as we don’t have a cockerel. We put in some hay for her and she made a nest around it and sat on it for around 20 minutes. Then she started trying to escape and I let her out and she’s just roaming around. Do I take the egg out? Is she broody or not?

Probably not. Remove the egg. Even if she's thinking of going broody there isn't any point in making her a nest and letting her sit if the eggs aren't fertille.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Then she started trying to escape and I let her out and she’s just roaming around. Do I take the egg out? Is she broody or not?

She is not broody. Hens laying an egg may stay on the nest a while after the egg has been laid. They may roll an egg under themselves even if they are not broody if that egg is close by.

The way I tell if a hen is a committed broody and deserves eggs or needs to be broken is that she spends two consecutive nights on the nest. One night is not enough and what she does during the day isn't important to me. She will not hatch eggs if she isn't spending nights on the nest.

What you describe sounds perfectly normal for a pullet learning to lay. Try to not read too much into it.

 

[Kearaaaa23]

Probably not. Remove the egg. Even if she's thinking of going broody there isn't any point in making her a nest and letting her sit if the eggs aren't fertille.

Update: there was a small crack in the egg, perhaps that’s why she ditched it? I was planning on putting fertile eggs from my friends chickens under her if she was broody. I was just a bit confused as she sat on it for 20-30mins consistently with no problems then started screaming trying to get out. Thank you for your advice