CHAPTER X 

 POULTRY PESTS 



The presence of mites and lice on poultry has a very 

 marked effect on the number of chickens raised and the 

 number of eggs produced by the laying hens. Thousands 

 of chickens die every spring and sununer as the result of 

 lice and in most cases such a loss could have been prevented. 

 It is a fa mili ar sight, that of the hen wallowing in a hole of 

 dust, scratching, and fluttering her feathers in an effort 

 to get rid of these insect pests. It is possible and thor- 

 oughly practical to keep the poultry flock reasonably free 

 from Hce and mites. Such a practice should be the aim 

 of every one who is endeavoring to establish a successful 

 flock of poultry. 



MITES 



Chicken mites, or, as they are sometimes called, "gray," 

 or "red," mites are very small and gray in color. After 

 they have been on the fowl, however, and filled themselves 

 with blood they become reddish in appearance. Hence 

 they are sometimes called "red" mites and at other times, 

 when they are hungry, again "gray" mites. 



In the daytime mites usually stay in the cracks of the 

 hen houses and under the roosts, where they lay their eggs. 

 At night, when the fowls go to roost, the mites come out 

 of their hiding places, attach themselves to the fowls and 

 feed by sucking blood from the birds. This annoyance causes 

 the fowls to become very uncomfortable and consequently 

 they do not thrive as they should. 



Remedy. Knowing the habits and hiding places of 

 mites, an effort should be made to get rid of them. The 

 chicken house, nests, and dropping board should be thor- 

 oughly cleaned and sprayed. Especial attention should 



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