138 PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 



pagate and swarm by millions. When a hen house be- 

 comes thus infested the mites may remain upon the fowls 

 even in the day time, especially if the birds are inactive 

 or stay upon the perches. Mites will sometimes so afflict 

 sitting hens as to drive them from their nests, or if the 

 hens stick to their nests they may die from exhaustion 

 due to loss of blood. 



Where the mites become so numerous that they 

 swarm upon the ceiling or under side of the house roof it 

 is easy for them to drop upon the luckless hen or person 

 who enters the infested place. 



These parasites do not breathe through pores in their 

 sides like lice but the precautions suggested for pre- 

 venting lousiness will tend to discourage the presence of 

 mites. 



If they are found on the fowls, dipping in liquid lice 

 killer may be necessary. Then keep the fowls away 

 from the infested quarters until the mites are destroyed 

 therein. 



All the furnishings of a hen house should be readily 

 removable. The nest-boxes may be freed from lice ver- 

 min by soaking them in a barrel or tub or tank filled 

 with sheep dip, or two per cent, carbolic acid solution. 

 The perches may be painted with the liquid. Any other 

 furniture should be sprayed or washed thoroughly with 

 the liquid. 



If any mites find hiding places where the carbolic 

 acid spray cannot reach them, they and their crannies 

 should be sealed up by painting with hot tar. 



If the house can be closed tightly it may be fumigat- 

 ed by burning brimstone, or with hydrocyanic acid gas. 

 The simplest plan is to use flowers of sulfur and fumi- 

 gate for several hours. 



The fine powdered sulfur is placed in a metallic ba- 

 sin on top of a coal hod or old pail. Alcohol is added to 

 the sulfur so that it can be easily lighted. Having tight- 

 ly closed the house the sulfur is set on fire and allowed 

 to burn continuously for hours. One pound of sulfur 

 will be sufficient for a hen house that is ten feet by 



