Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-24
PnnlfrN YerrnIn.


After chicks and turkeys are three months
old kerosene may be used for lice and no i'll
results follow-provided the oil Is used in a
sensible manner. Do not wet the chickens
all over, but rub a little Of the oil on top OF
the head, under the wings, and into the
feathers on the under part Of the body. Don't
mix any sulphur with the coal oil; the oil it
self Is sure death to lice. But let me tell you
that II chickens are kept free from lice until
they are three months old, and after that age
furnished with a wallow Of dust and ashes,
and their coops occasionally treated to white
wash or coal oil, they will not be troubled
with lice enough to hurt
About those red mites, or spider lice-well,
l do think they are just themeanest critters
that ever vexed fowls and their owners.
When they once get in a fowl house nothing
but q stern, unrelenting warfare will clean
! them out. They don't stay on the fowls
during the day, but hide on the under side
side Of the perches, and in cracks n c~revices
about the roosts and nests At night they
come forth from their retreats, and just
swarm on the fowls To begin the var Of
determination catch all your fowls and rub
coal oil into the feathers on the under part OF
the body, and under the wings. You needn't
be so particular as with chicks, for q little
kerosene more or less won't hurt old fowls.
After you get through with the hens,
stop a minute and think how uncom-
Portable you feel with a million hen
lice crawling up your arms; then
carry everything that is loose out Of the hen
house, and whitewaSh the house thoroughly.
II there is an earth floor in the house, or a
floor covered with earth, scrapo of the top
and put it somewhere where the fowls can
not get at it; then spread on fresh earth and
scatter lime freely. This part Of the work
done, shut up the house as close as possible,
carry in an old iron kettle half full Of live
Goals, pour on 4 pound Of sulphur, shut the
door, and turn your attention TO the NOVA
bles" out Of doors. Wet the perches thor
oughly with coal oil and set fire to them. II
you can get new percheS just as well as not,
better let the old ones burn all up, but If you
must use the old ones again, put the fire out
with and old broom and a pail Of water, and
the lice will Do cut too.
Whitewash Il Q nest boxes and pour coal
oil into all cracks where the limo does not
reach. After you get through with this and
nave changed your clothes" the house will
be smoked enough, and you can open it to
the air.
The next day, and about every day for q
week after this house cleaning, examine the
under side of the percheS after the fowls have
left the roost: il you find a single mite, wet
the roOst thoroughly with coal oil, for if but
| O half dozen Of the little ~bloOdthirsty wretcheS
escape destruction they will bring forth after
their kind with astonishing rapidity, and,
next thing you will know, the house will be
lust swarming' with red mites again.
While | am talking about lice, l may as
well tell the poultry keepers who do NOT even
suspect the presence Of red mites in their
fowl houses, that it wouldn't do q bit Of harm
il they were to examine the under side OF the
perches for the "dark red patches" which are
simply millions Of red mites. Fannie Field
in Prairie Farmer.