Chicken Memorials

[Spook241]

I have a bantam brahma hen who recently stopped laying eggs and has started panting quite a bit. Thinking it was possibly gapeworm I have started treating them all with flubenvet in their food, however I’m not seeing any improvement with her (not sure she is even eating the food). Is there any way to confirm that it is gapeworm she has? Or would that require a vet?

Also does gapeworm actually stop egg production or could that mean it is something else?

[Beantree]

Any illness will stop laying @Spook241 but gapeworm is extremely unlikely in my  experience. They look (apparently) like small red lines on the lining in the mouth. Panting could be 'egg bound' or 'impacted or sour crop' or a heavy worm burden perhaps.?If you've put Flubenvet in the food and she isn't eating, it will, of course, have no effect whatsoever. 

First thing to do is check her crop. It should be full and soft at night and empty in the morning. You need to check her poos, because they will tell you everything; compare them to the others. You will need to observe her to see if she is eating and drinking. Is she being bullied off the food? Worth putting an extra feeder and drinker out to avoid that possibility. Check her abdomen below the vent. It should be reasonable firm but not hard. Check her vent. Is there any obstruction or weeping?

[Cat tails]

Could well be something else. Gaping is very like a yawn. I would assume you mean something different than gaping. I would imagine if the hen is panting she might have trouble breathing. Have a feel and see if her abdomen is very inflated. In any case, a visit to the vet is probably best.