egg that just wasn't right

[sherrihargrove]

I realized my best hen who by the way is molting was trying to lay an egg. Having never seen this before I watched for over 30 minutes when she spread out and squated I watched thinking ok here it comes. Out came clear liquid Albumen and few seconds later the yolk was passed, then what looked like a shell half wrong side out which the other hen took off with and a few stayed behind to finish off the almost egg. What in this world did I just witness? Can I do something to help her and this is the second shell like that I have found. First one was in a nesting box and I had no earthly idea what it was until today. Oh and she is the matriarch of the bunch.

 

[aart]

Was the shell hard or soft?
How old is the hen?
Is she just starting or just finishing her molt?
What and how are you feeding?

Soft shell eggs are not unusual for hen coming into lay initially or after a molt, they can come out intact or in pieces like you witnessed....all are fair game for chicken ingestion.

 

[sherrihargrove]

it was soft and looked like a folded piece of paper.