Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1914-06-05


in all his glory, and the days are begin
ming to become extremely hot and sui
try, special care and attention should be
given both the chickens and their quar-
tiers. The hotter the weather, the
greater will be the number Of lice and
mites bred in the cOops, breeders and
even on the bodies of the bird themselves.
The advent of hot weather usually calls
for inactivity on the part of the poultry
man, and his lack of work quite natur-
ally means an increase in the number of
parasites and spells certain defeat. This
is especially true regarding the young
sters.
While the older birds may be able to
resist the Onslaughts of lice and mites
to a certain extent, the young chicks
cannot, and if the breeder does not en-
deavOr to keep the pests down, the little
fellows will drop off very rapidly.
The fight to keep down lice and mites is
indeed one of the most difficult and try
ing problems which the poultry keeper
has to meet. In your attempt to com
bat this most deadly enemy of poultry,
one should remember that there are two
distinct points of attack. One, the birds
themselves the other, the houses, nest
boxes, roosting boards and every other
portion of the interior of the coop.
Begin your attack upon the parasites
by thoroughly busting each and every
bird with some good busting material.
The best way to accomplish this. so as
not to cause the birds any unusual alarm,
is to go into the coop at dusk armed to
the teeth" with a liberal supply of lice
powder in a box or can having perfOr-
ated top. Take the birds from the rOOst
one at time and dust them, rubbing
the powder well into the feathers. Place
the bird back on the roost, and proceed
in the same way until all are given the
treatment
By doing this work at night it will
prevent the birds from shaking the
powder from their bodies until the next
day, thus allowing it to get in its work
over night.
Please remember too. that one appli-
cation is not sufficient to keep the bird
free of lice. nor even to chase them tenn
pOrarily especially if the birds should
be badly infected at the start. The first
application should be followed up in
from three to four days with a second,
and it may be necessary to give them a
third treatment. In addition to the dust
ing of the birds do not neglect to pro-
vide good busting bath that the fowls
may wallow at will. Start the lice on
run by the application Of powder and
the hen will keep them going if given a
good dust bath.
1t might be well to state here how a
good lice powder may be made. Take
three parts of gasoline and one part
crude carbolic acid, and mix well to-
gether Add gradually to this mixture,
stirring all the while, enough plaster
of-paris to take up all the liquid. The
liquid and the dry plaster should be
thoroughly mixed so that the former
will be uniformly distributed through
the mass of plaster. When sufficient
plaster has been added the result should
be dry, pinkish-brOwn powder, having
a fairly strong carbOlic odOr and rather
less pronounced gasoline odor.
Do not use more plaster in mixing
than is necessary to blot up the liquid.
1t NAV then be rubbed well with the
hands and put in cans or other vessels
for use.
When busting them, the powdershou
be used literally particularly about the
vent, breast and among the fluff under
| the wing, as there is where the bulk OF
the lice Turk.
The efficiency of this powder has been
tested-resuts show il to be one OF the
best to be had. As a test, treat Dlrd
| in the manner prescribed above, ana
with powder made after the above pre-
scription. After the lapse of about a
minute or so, shake the bird over piece
of white paper, at the same time loosen
| ing its feathers with the fingers. DEAD
and dying lice will drop on the paper IN
large quantities. 81
The treatment to rid little chicks OF
| lice is another matter. Many persons
dust the little fellows with lice powder
as thew do the older or matured STOCK
and oct fair results. While this may be
lust as good a way as any other; YET l
| have adopted a different remedy Ior
chicks-it has met with great success
| have found camphorated oil TO De one
of the very best lice chasers. Al leasl
once a week put it on the chicks using
nv fingers for application.
| Wet finger with the OIL by Piaclhs
il over the mouth of the tilted BOTTLE
then saturate the head, under the wings
and throat. breast and about the vent
being careful not to apply 1t in too large
quantity. 81. Ar,,,,bor
The above IS point Oh attain ~
One in your fight against parasites
Number Two is the coops, houses al ana
other fixtures about the plant. Inc
houses should be thoroughly cleaned ana
scraped, even to the cracks, for there Is
where lice and mites lurk in large guam
titles. The next boxes and droppinR
boards should receive as much attehIloh
as do the walls and floors of the coops.
After cleaning and scraping, the houses
should be washed with water: AFTER
This has dried, spray or paint the vans
with a good liquid lice killer and white
wash. using crude carbOlic acid IN the
lime. A good spray can be made Dy
mixing three parts gasoline and one part
crude carbolic acid. This may be elther
snraved or put on the wall with brush
4 the latter being preferable.
Don't fail to give the nest boxes ana
dronping boards their share OF the solu-
ton. Burn all of the old nesting mater r
iai taken from the nests and supply II
anew. After the houses have peen
thoroughly treated, sprinkle lime about
the floor and in the bottom OF the nest I.s
boxes under the material, also silt lice