284 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



cumulated dirt, let the house dry out for a day or two. Then make a search- 

 ing inspection to see if any dirt can be discovered. If so, apply the appropriate 

 treatment as outlined above. If, however, everything appears to be clean, 

 the time has come to make it really and truly clean by disinfecting. To do this 

 it is necessary to spray all parts of the house or thoroughly wash with a scrub- 

 brush. Wet with a good disinfectant. This should be done at least twice, 

 allowing time between for it to dry. 



How to Disinfect a Poultry House. 



First. See that the house is perfectly clean by following faithfully the 

 instructions given above. Where the garden hose is not available, use instead 

 a broom or a scrubbing brush. 



Second. Fumigate. Before fumigating it will be necessary to provide 

 accommodations for the fowls. Usually these operations take place during mild 

 weather, when it will not hurt the birds to be shut out of the house for eight to 

 ten hours. The closing up need not be done until along towards noon when 

 most of the laying is over with. Should there be other houses, shed or coops 

 into which the hens can go to lay, the fumigating can be done at any time. 



In case the disinfecting is done during cold weather, extra precaution 

 should be taken in caring for the hens. If they are laying, do not expose them 

 to sudden changes. Usually, however, when conditions are such that it is 

 necessary to do this house-cleaning in the winter time, very few eggs are 

 forthcoming and it is not a question of keeping up the egg yield, but of get- 

 ting the house properly disinfected. When the hens are removed, close up 

 the house as tight as possible and light sulphur candles. Let them burn 

 four or five hours or until they are exhausted. The house then can be opened 

 and in half an hour the rest of the disinfectant should be finished. 



Third. Thoroughly disinfect by the use of good lice paint, applied with a 

 brush or sprayer. Paint the roosts, drop boards and nests very thoroughly. 

 Be sure the liquid gets into all the cracks and joints of the roosts. Miss no 

 place where the fowls go or where the insects may hide. Follow this with 

 some of the good, coal-tar preparations sprayed over the entire surface of the 

 inside of the house. Take pains to get into every corner. 



Now that the house is clean, this spray should be used once a week 

 throughout the summer and once a fortnight during the winter. To do this is 

 important, because it is a simple matter to keep a poultry house clean after 

 it has once been thoroughly cleaned and properly disinfected. 



Fourth. To make a complete job, follow the foregoing treatment with 

 a whitewash brush and your house will be as clean and healthful as hands 

 can make it. The whitewashing will depend upon the time of the year and the 

 accommodations for the fowls, but if possible have it done before they are al- 

 lowed to enter the house again. A good whitewash, one that will stick and not 

 rub off, is made as follows, or in these proportions : 



