Milford chronicle., 1920-11-26
VIGILANCE NEEDED TO KEEP
CHICKEN HOUSE MITE-FREE
CHICKENS WILL NOT GIVE ADEQUATE
RETURNS In EGGS 0RPR0FITABLE
GROWTH WHEN KEPT
UNDER UNSANITARY CONDITIONS
CRUDE PETROLEUM WILL DESTROY ALL
PESTS HOW TO use SPRAYS FOR
The BEST RESULTS.

Poultry raisers are all too familiar
with the common red or gray mite
which infests poultry houses. In gen
eral those who are making a special
ty of poultry raising have compara-
lively little trouble with mites. or at
least they keep them reduced a point
where they are of little importance.
On the other hand, farmers and 9TH
ers who raise poultry as an incident
to other operations frequently find
their chicken houses overrun by mites.
Detecting Presence OF Mites
The attack of this blood-sucking
mite is of an insidious nature which
does not readily draw attention to its
presence, and often the poultryman
is not aware of an infestatiOn until he
is attracted to it by the irritation pro-
duced by mites on his own body thru
coming in contact with the infested
coOps. The presence of the pest may
readily be determined. however, by
the detection of small areas on the
boards specked with black and white
as though busted with salt and pep
per. This is the excrement of the
mites, which are hidden in adjacent
cracks or rough places. More careful
examination will reveal masses of
mites in hiding, together with their
eggs and the silvery skins cast by the
young.
In moderately infested poultry
houses the injury to the fowls is not
easily apparent, but the constant
blood loss and irritation are shown by
Ina-a,rAA ,,,.TIrrafsDn ond tho
poor condition of the fowls flesh. In
heavily infested coops it is not un-
usual for the chickens to become
droopy and weak, with pale comb and
wattles. Sitting hens desert their
nests and thus ruin the eggs or, as is
often the case, they are found dead on
the nest, being killed outright by the
attack of thousands of mites. In ex-
treme cases a considerable number of
fowls succumb, even though not sit
ting, and all are so weakened as to
be very susceptible to various dis
eases.
Owing to the fact that mites feed
during the night and secret them
selves in cracks and crevices during
the day, their presence very often is
overlooked until a very heavy infes-
tatiOn has developed. In such cases
they should be attacked energetically.
not hard to kill, the great
est obstacle is the difficulty of reach
ing them in their hiding places. Dust
baths will not control them, as, at
most, only the few which remain on
he chickens during the daytime will
be destroyed.
The first step necessary to destroy
he mites is to get rid of the hiding
places so far as possible. The roost !
should be taken down and all unnec-
essary board and boxes removed. In |
heavily infested houses the mites are
% be found in all parts of the build
ng, including the roof. Where they
ire less numerous the infestations US
lally are confined to the roosts and !
tests and the walls Immediately adj /
accent. For small coops hand atom !
zer will suffice for applying insecti-
,ides as sprays, but for larger houses
bucket pump, knapsack sprayer, or
,arrel pump is desirable. A rather
.oarse spray should be applied into
he cracks. The floor also should be
reated, as many mites fall to the
loor when the roosts are being re-
moved.
In tests conducted by the United
tates Department of Agriculture dur
lg the last two years a considerable
lumber of materials used as sprays
ave proved effective. One of the So
allied wood preservers was found
effective, and its killing
T repelling power lasts for months.
s this material is rather expensive
about 81 per gallon), and is too
eavy to spray well, it is advisable to
educe it with equal parts of kero-
enc.
Crude petroleum is almost as effec-
We, retains its killing power for sew
raj weeks, and in most localities it
very cheap. 1t will spray better if
linned with one part of kerosene to
,ur parts of crude oil.
1t has been found that one thor
ugh application of either of these
aterials will completely eradicate
lie mites from an infested chicken
Duse, but ordinarily it is advisable
make a second application month
ter the first, and in some cases a
Iird treatment is required. These
dPpAANelNAOAAo meg W AAet0N
ith a brush, using the materials un-
luted and covering only the roosts,
cir supports, the walls adjoining,
ID the nests If they are infested.
MS method of application is effective
+ the first treatment also if the
,uses are not heavily infested. Poul-
y should be kept out of the treated
lildings until the material is well
led into the wood.
Using Pure Kerosene
Pure kerosene and kerosene emul-
IN is double the strength ordinarily
piled to plants will destroy all mites
!, but these substances have not body
ough to destroy those mites which
e in more protected situations, and
yeral applications at To-day inter-
Is are needed to destroy all the
tes.
Arsenical dip, such as is used to de-
.oy cattle ticks, has been found
rly satisfactory for use against
lcken mites. Several applications
E required to eradicate the mites -
I'M poultry houses. ,-