Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-19
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0b:'e,bkGKYARD
FARMER3
y PROF. JWILLARD DOETE
lCnnYright MesleIn NeMapAner unLnn.
PARASITES AND POISON.
Wonyright. Western Newspaper Union

Lice and hens are almost in
separahle companions. If you want
a profitable combination of hens and
eggs You must get rid OF lice. have
been in some thousands OF hen houses
in the course of my study OF this in
dustry, and to the best of my belief
have never seen a farm flock Of hens
that was not more or less lousy This
is the reason that the average hen in
the United States does not lay enough
eggs to pay for her keep, ii any one
thing may be assigned as the reason
There is no excuse why the city
and suburban poultry keeper should
have lice on his fowls, and he must
get rid OF them If he is to be thor
oughly successful. Chicken lice are
divided into two groups, head lice and
body lice. The former are relatively
unmportant, as they do not inter
fere with grown fowls to any great
extent. They are source of great
danger to baby chicks, however, and
they infest almost ali chicks that come
into contact with mature fowls, or the
places that they frequent.
Head lice attach themselves to the
feathers and skin of the head, under
the wings, and around the vent of tho
baby chick. They can only be over
come by first keeping the chicks away
from sources of infection, and second,
greasing them thoroughly with lard
when they are first placed with the
hen, and keeping careful watch for
later infection.
Body lice are the great plague OF
the domestic fowl, and they are even
more common than feas on dogs.
These vermin run about on the skin
of the chickens, eating the outer layer
Of the skin, and keeping them con
stantly irritated In aggravated cases
they will even cause the blood to
break through the skin. They infect
chickens and turkeys more than water
fowl, and they never leave the body
of the host voluntarily
The price of freedom from lice IL
eternal vigilance. Be sure that any
chickens you introduce 10 your her
house are free from lice. Powder them
well with insect powder before turn
ing them loose. Have dry dust bath
in sunny spot and If the hens do not
use it on fair days change the spot
for the only way n chicken has tc
cleanse itself and smother out the lice
Is by busting
Have the interior Of the house ant
the nests whitewashed thoroughly a
least twice year. putting some car
bolc acid in the wash Once every
two weeks in winter, and twice weol
in hot weather, paint the roosts will
a good strong solution of lice pain
about two hours before the hens &
to roost. BE sure to get it into all 0
the cracks and crevices.
Change the nesting straw at leas
once month and use only cleo
straw. When you change it paint 0
spray the interior of the nests wit
the lice paint.
Red or spider mites are not lice
but they do just as much. if not NOR
harm They feed on the fowls bloc
at night, sucking 1t like mosquito
and in badly infested house the
have actually been known to bleed tn
hens to the point of exhaustion an
; subsequent death Fortunately the
are easily controlled and by the sam
methods that are used to kill lice. h
sure that the rcosts and nests ar
kept clean and disinfected with lie
. paint DO It as thoroughly as on
would for bedbugs in the home an
you will soon get rid Of the mites
These miserable little pests live O
the perches and walls of the he
{ house, and about the nests The
avoid the light during the day tim
and sometimes are present in lare
! numbers without being detected TAX
( no chances, but keep the roosts sat
urated with lice paint, and II p0ssibl
have the roosts supported away fror
the walls so that they cannot hide b.
tween the end of the roost and th