Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-01-06
POULTRY LICE.
A Pest That Will Quickly Spread If
Not controIIed-cuts Egg PRODUCE

The losses caused by poultry lice,
though they are difficult to estimate,
are very large particularly at this time
Of year, when hens are kept in con-
fnement and do not have an opportun-
fly to dust themselves freely. The loss
is chiefly in egg production, brought
about by the irritation of the fowls
caused by lice crawling upon them.
Only in rare instances do lice weaken
the fowls sufficiently to cause death,
but there is always a possibility that
they may weaken fowls sufficiently
to provide opportunities for various
diseases which are apt to attack fowls
during the winter time.
There are several varieties of lice
which injure fowls. The most i'm
portant being the so-called common
hen louise or the common large louise.
All varieties of bird lice have large
biting mouth parts but do not suck
the blood of their hosts. 1t is doubt
full If any of the common hen lice
ever get any blood except in case Of
wounds or bruises on the fowls. 1t
is generally conceded that all varieties
and scales of the skin, but they are
constantly biting at the skin and caus-
ing serious irritation, also the continu-
GUS movement of the lice and the
action of their sharp claws on the
skin OF the fowls sets up an irdi-
tation which makes the fowls so un-
comfortable that they may not do
their best work in egg production.
Many poultrymen who are wonder
ing to-day why their hens do not lay
better will do well to examine their
birds carefully to see if they are not
badly infested with lice. They are
found in largest numbers about the
fluff under the wings and on the head.
!! Where there are dirt floors in the
poultry house or where dust wallows
the fowls will control the lice problem
by constantly wallowing In the dirt.
There are always some fowls, parttc-
ularly the male birds, who are never
seen to use the dust wallow, and
! these are the birds who are usually
the most seriously infested.
The fact that in eight weeks the
offspring of one pair Of lice may
| include the third generation and may
be numbered as high as 1876 900 indi-
viduals would indicate that If only
a few birds in the flock were infested
| It would not take long to have the en-
tire flock in nearly as bad condition If
steps were not taken to destroy the
| lice on those birds which failed to use
the dust wal1ow.
AS lice spend their entire life on the
| fowls the treatment must reach them
there as well as disinfecting the
| houses. Two methods are common.
that Of busting the fowls by hand
| with some home made or commercial
| ice powder, or by using paste or ONT
ment- Blue or mercuric ointment is
used successfully by many poultrymen.
taking one part of the ointment and
one part vaseline. using a piece about
| the size Of pea rubbed into the
skin just below the vent. This should
not be used on young chickens and
birds to which it is applied should
never be allowed to get wet within
week after the ointment has been
| applied.
A simpler and safer remedy which
requires more time for applying is a
homemade lice powder containing
/ one-half pint OF crude carbolic acid
| and IL points of gasoline and five
pounds of plaster Of paris. The liquid
should be mixed and stirred into the
plaster OF paris then spread thinly on
a sheet of paper for "a hours. There
are various kinds of lice powder on
the market which are equally effective
| but are expensive if applied to large
] fiockg. This powder costs about one
cent Tor every 20 hens.