Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 220, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1918 — PARASITES FOES TO WINTER EGGS [ARTICLE]

PARASITES FOES TO WINTER EGGS

Hens Annoyed by Uce and Mites or Weakened by Disease Are Unprofitable. CLEANLINESS ISFIRST AID Prevention Is Easier, Cheaper and More Reliable Than Cure—Uee of Freshly Slaked Lime in the House Recommended. Before the flock goes into winter quarters every measure should be taken by the poultry keeper to insure the health of the birds, according. to the United States department of agriculture. Only healthy fowls can be expected to produce eggs in winter. Well developed pullets and young hens should be kept for the winter laying flock, of course; but, no matter how well such birds are fed, if they are annoyed by lice and mites or weakened by disease, they will not be profitable. Fowls are subject to a considerable number of diseases, some of which spread rapidly through the flock and cause a high mortality. They may also be Infested by various kinds of parasites, some of which live oh the surface of the bodyhnd others in the crops, stomach, or intestines. These parasites are injurious because they take a part of the nourishment whicti should be used by the bird to put on flesh or to produce eggs, and also because by their movements and -their biting,they cause irritation and Inflammation of the parts which they attack. Germs , and parasites which cause should be kept out of the flock by suitable preventive measures, because disease may be avoided much more easily , and cheaply than it can be cured. The aim in studying the diseases of poultry is, therefore, to learn how to prevent such diseases rather than how to cure them. Cleanliness is the first and most important step in all measures for disease prevention.

How to Prevent Disease. It is very important to start right and begin the flock with birds that are free from Illness and parasites, and to put such birds upon ground which Is likewise free from these causes of disease. If all the available ground has been recently used for poultry, the fowls should be removed from that part which is to be used for the new or winter flock, a good coating of freshly slaked lime should be applied to the entire surface of the ground, and a few days later It should be spaded or plowed. It may be cultivated three or four times with Intervals of a week and finally sowed with rye, or other grain. In a few months the greater part of the germs will be destroyed. Keep Premise* Clean. In order to keep the flock in a healthy condition, the premises must be frequently cleaned and occasionally disinfected. There are a number of reasons for this. First, there are certain germs generally present in the intestines even of healthy fowls that are scattered with the manure, and which, when they are permitted to accumulate and become very numerous, may cause outbreaks of disease; second, the germs of contagious diseases may be brought to the poultry yard by pigeons or other birds which fly from one poultry yard to another, or by mice or rats; third, it is seldom that ground is obtained for the poultry yard which la entirely free from infection with the eggs of parasitic worms and the spores of disease-producing microbes. To keep these germs and parasites from developing and increasing their numbers to a dangerous extent the

houses should be kept clean, the drinking fountains and feed troughs should be washed every week with boiling water or other disinfectant, and, if any lice or mites are found on the birds or in their houses, the roosts and adjoining parts of the walls should be painted wlth a mixture of kerosene, one quart, and crude carbolic acid or crude cresol, one teacupful (one gill). Or the house may be whitewashed with freshly slaked lime or sprayed with kerosene emulsion. The fowls should be dusted with lice powder.