6 
THE COLORADO EXPERIMENT STATION 
The smaller variety of this genus, Menopon pallidum, also has be 
studied, but is far less common in this state. This louse is found on you 
and old chickens. 
Fig. 2. 
Figure 2.— Menopon biserintuni (from a hen), greatly enlarged; a, head, whi 
is provided with mouth parts; b, thorax provided with three pairs of legs; 
abdomen. . 
| 
THE TURKEY LOUSE—Goniodes stylifer. This louse is found 
turkeys and is thicker than the one just described. Like it, the mouth pai 
are arranged for mastication. It is illustrated in Fig. 3. 
Lipeurus infuscatus. This is another louse that may infest chickei 
A study of Fig. 5 shows it’s mouth parts and legs similar to the other li< 
Its general shape is different. It is not so common as the large hen lous 
THE PIGEON LOUSE-—Lipeurus bacillus. This is a long, slender, lig 
colored louse with mouth parts arranged for biting, and its legs are pi 
vided with hooklets which aid it in holding to the feathers. It is illustrat 
in Fig. 7.' 
i 
Goniocotes hologaster.—This is still another louse that sometimes i 
fests chickens. In many respects it resembles the louse of the turkey, but 
is a distinct species. It is illustrated in Fig. 6. Like the others, its mou 
parts are arranged for biting. 
LIFE HISTORY.—The females are slightly larger than the males. T 
females lay oval, white, or whitish-yellow eggs (nits) and securely ceme 
them to the barbs of the feathers. This is illustrated in Fig. 4. The li 
hatch in from ten days to two weeks in warm weather, by breaking open t 
ends of the eggs. The young have much the same shape as the adults, but a 
usually lighter in color. The males are usually less numerous than t 
females. 
CONDITIONS PRODUCED.—Chicks hatched in the incubator are fr 
from lice and stay free until placed with lousy hens or chicks, or in lou 
quarters. Lice produce much irritation. The effect of large numbers upi 
chickens is quite marked. The hens scratch and pick at the feathers, she 
signs of being drowsy, may refuse to eat, and in growing birds, body d 
velopment is interfered with. Young chicks often sit around, moping, wi 
wings hanging down, and finally in a week or two may die. For this reaso 
brooder chicks thrive better, grow faster, and are free from many ailmen 
than chicks hatched by the hen. It has been said that a lousy bird will ha 
more of a tendency to dust than one not lousy. 
The effect upon the older birds is not so severe as upon younger one 
but it is shown in condition of flesh and low production of eggs. The irrit 
tion is sometimes so severe that hens desert their nests. Their combs m: 
become dark. 
Birds unable to rest day or night become emaciated and die. 
