This morning when I went to feed and water my chickens I found one of my buff orpington hens (8 months old) laying dead on the ground. Yesterday she, and all the others, appeared completely normal. Her death this morning was a complete shock. However, yesterday my husband did find a shell-less egg in the coop. We were unsure of who laid it. Would that in and of itself kill a chicken?
You need to start supplementing your girls with oyster shell to provide calcium. I had one of my girls lay a soft shell egg after exhibiting signs of being egg bound. I freaked out and brought her into the house and sat her in some warm water and then just kept her warm overnight. This was all done before she laid the soft shell egg. I was able to catch it quick. After she passed the egg she was fine but now I give them oyster shell mixed with yogurt to help boost calcium. They need the calcium for both creating the hard shell of the egg as well as the muscle contractions needed to expel/lay the egg. If they are deficient they can do neither and end up dying.
