Molting and a soft shelled egg??

[Dixiedoodle]

today, I saw my smallest BO hen go into the nest box-- when she came out I went in....There was a full size egg, prefect--EXCEPT there is a 'rubbery shell' I can barely see the yolk but I can handle it and it doesn't break! NOW this hen is in FULL molt. She is almost naked. She looks much like a pin cushion w/ tiny Buff colored heads on each pin.. IS the laying abnormal--I KNOW the soft shell is but do they lay when they are in molt and how on earth did she not poke the egg w/ the feather shafts?????

 

[emys]

Well, no, not normal, but above average I would say. In full hard molt and still laying (or mostly laying) is unusual, but not unheard of. She is most likely, your most productive hen when not in molt.

(She probably just got lucky with the pin feathers.)

 

[Dixiedoodle]

thank you.