96 SUMMER MANAGEMENT 



how rapidly these pests will increase and the damage 

 they can do in a comparatively short time. Begin- 

 ners are very often too slow to detect the presence 

 of insects and when they are discovered they have 

 gained a good foothold upon the flock. 



In many cases the trouble originates with the set- 

 ting of the hens. The inexperienced poultry raiser 

 fails to dust these at intervals of a week during the 

 progress of the incubation with the result that the 

 hen comes off the nest with her brood of chicks 

 loaded with lice, which in turn are transmitted to 

 the chicks. A cluck setting on a nest does not have 

 the opportunity to dust herself as frequently as the 

 other hens, and this coupled with the fact that her 

 body is possessed with a higher temperature makes 

 the conditions more ideal for the propagation of 

 vermin. 



Those who have started to combat vermin early in 

 the season need not fear the ravages of these pests 

 as much as those who have been neglectful in this 

 direction, but nevertheless they must keep preventa- 

 tives on the job at all times. Keep the houses ex- 

 ceptionally clean during the hot spell, disinfect thor- 

 oughly, change nesting material often, spray the 

 nesting boxes, give the fowls free access to a dust 

 bath, and examine the birds often. Should the poul- 

 tryman notice the first sign of vermin, every bird 

 should be taken in hand and thoroughly dusted with 

 the best poultry lice powder obtainable. Another 



