DISEASES AND PARASITES OF FOWLS 377 



can be regularly and thoroughly done there will be little 

 need of other treatment of the soil to destroy infection. It 

 may sometimes be necessary to disinfect the feeding- 

 grounds. The most common method, probably, is the use 

 of quick lime. Fresh lime should be air-slaked and broken 

 into a floury powder and sprinkled over the ground until 

 white. To prevent burning the chickens ' feet the earth 

 may be raked over it a little. For the houses various disin- 

 fectants are used. For bacterial diseases such as roup, 

 tuberculosis, and cholera, formaldehyde may be used at the 

 rate of 1 pint to 20 gallons of water. This should be ap- 

 plied with a spray pump. The walls, ceiling, floor, roosts 

 and nests should be thoroughly drenched with the spray. 



Boiling water may be used for articles such as drinking 

 vessels, small feeding-troughs, etc., dipping them in the 

 water. Commercial germicides such as Zenoleum and 

 Kreso dip may also be used as disinfectants. In small 

 houses that may be closed up tight, probably the most 

 effective disinfection is to fumigate with formaldehyde gas. 

 Use at the rate of 16 ounces of 40% formaldehyde to 6 

 ounces of permanganate of potash, per 1,000 cubic feet 

 air space. Put the permanganate in a jar and pour the 

 formaldehyde into it and then quickly leave the house and 

 close the door. Leave the house closed for two or three 

 hours. This is a convenient and effective method of disin- 

 fecting incubators as well as houses. 



Disinfecting Drinking Water. Germ diseases such as 

 roup, canker and chicken-pox are frequently spread among 

 the flock through the water in drinking vessels. Where 

 there are any indications of such diseases it is well to use 

 permanganate of potash in the drinking water, using about 

 a fourth teaspoonful to a gallon of water. Permanganate 

 ordinarily is cheap, and should be liberally used. 



It is known that disease germs are more virulent after 



