Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-06-02
DESTROYING LICE ON FOWLS
Active Measures Should Be Taken to
Keep Poultry Free From Injuri-
Gus Little Pest.

by Fl. c. PIERCE AND r. L. WEB
STER, IOWA)
The loss Of income due to the pres
ence of lice on fowls, while probably
not as large as that due to the COM
mon chicken mite, is yet enormous.
Fowls which are infested with lice
cannot produce as many eggs nor as
many pounds of flesh as can those that
free from these vermin. Lice are espe-
cially harmful to young chicks.
Because the lice live, eat and breed
upon the body of the fowls, means of
eradication must be such as to reach
them beneath the feathers. This is
accomplished in two ways, by the APP
plication of powders which suffocate
the lice, and by liquid preparations
which stifle the lice with their fumes,
or kill by coming in direct contact
with the parasites.
If fowls have easy access to dusty
earth wallow where they can work
the fine dry particles of dust into their
feathers they will keep themselves
fairly free from lice, but eradication
majority of cases. A good dust wallow
may be made of equal parts Of sifted
dry loan and coal ashes Wood ashes
should not be used as they may bleach
or burn the shanks and feathers.
For the eradication Of lice quickly
and completely, as upon show birds
and sitting hens, it is usually neces-
sary to work fine dusty powder
into the feathers The method of ap-
plication is to hold the fowl with one
hand by the legs, head downward, and
work the powder into the fluffy feath-
ers around the vent, on the body
under the wings and on the neck
with the free hand.
An excellent powder at low cost
may be made as follows: To a mix
rure of three parts gasoline and one
part of crude carbolic acid stir In all
of the plaster of paris it will moisten
When enough plaster has been added
the powder will be dry, brownish pink
in color, and have pronounced odol
of carbolic acid and gasoline.
A second application OF the powder
should be made at the end of one
week to catch any lice that escaped
, the first busting or had Matched from
eggs in the meantime.
Sitting hens should be thoroughly
busted when eggs are placed u ndel
them and again at he end of thu
first and second weeks. This insure'
hoT ht
chicks are Matched.
r To kill the lice upon chicks dus
the mother hen or paint the walls o
e the coon with some liquid lice kille
or disnfectant.
J. ESPECIAL care should be taken t
e dust the male of the flock thoroughly
S as the quickest way to spread lie
through flock is by means of lous
\ male bird.
LIQUID lice killers are used primal
. lily to paint the roosts and droppin
boards. Their fumes rising throug
l. tho feathers of the birds cause tn
S lice TO drop off The practise is t
nafnt the roosts about four o'clock i
q the afternoon before the fowls go t
e roost This also prevents mites fror
IS attacking the fowls. Most OF tn
LIQUID lice killers are coal tar product
y and are sold as coal tar disinfectant'
y Come Of them do cause the lice
d dron from the fowls, but whether c
c. not they always kill the lice is nc
~ certain.
It has been found that when fov
i was placed upon roost coated wit
p .rasa, soap formula: the lice Wonl
u dron in large numbers and could 3
i'd caught upon a paper spread unde
Meath the roost. In the majority
ID cases, however, the parasites were NJ
killed. z Where this method is use
to the droppings should be removed an
!" dropping boards cleaned cary Inc +, e
w Loving morning to prevent the ~
ey con reaching the fowls again