No shell

[Htwo]

I've got a 4 year old EE who has had dirty butt feathers for a few months off and on, but otherwise acting normal. She laid a soft egg on the poop board one night about a month ago but otherwise has not been laying. I just thought it was old age. Last night I was watching my flock out in the yard and they were all frantically circling around her, and then I saw her squat and the other hens started fervently pecking at the ground underneath her. I ran over and found the leftovers of a completely shell-less and formless egg, just the runny insides. My flock is given a proper diet, mealworms every evening and have oyster shells available 24/7. They also free range 20+ acres all day.

I did have a RIR with green poop and lameness about 6 months ago that got better with separation and a 14 day course of antibiotics. About a year prior to that I had a hen who I dispatched due to bad respiratory symptoms.

I've read a bunch, but it appears that it could be several different things. What should my course of action be? Separate her and start on supplements? Cull and close flock? (I just added 3 teenagers).

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she is having reproductive problems due to her age or infection. Shell-less eggs can lead to egg bound or eggs breaking which cause infection. Is she a high production hen? Be sure to clean her vent area when dirty, or she could be affected by fly strike and maggots in warm weather. You could try giving her human calcium citrate with vitamin D 300-600 mg for 7 days to see if she again lays or has hard shells. Watch to see that she isn’t being bullied or kept from food and water.