POULTRY DISEASES 
11 
FLEA 
THE CHICKEN PLEA (Pulex avi um ) 
DESCRIPTION. This flea resembles, to some extent, the fleas of dogs 
s and man. A microscopic study shows it to be a distinct species for 
ds. It is illustiated in Pig. 11. It is provided with jointed feelers (anten- 
0, mouth parts for wounding the skin and sucking blood, and legs pro- 
ed with hooklets on the free extremities. The posterior legs are longest, 
| ing them great power to jump. The body is flattened laterally and is 
wn in color. 
LIFE HISTORY.—The female lays about twenty brown, oval eggs, in 
filth of the hen house, where they hatch in a few days, if the weather be 
rm. They are now in a worm-like stage and practically microscopic in 
>. They develop rapidly into the adult stage. (Illustrated in Pig. 11.) 
CONDITION PRODUCED.—One outbreak of flea infestation was studied 
■ing the past summer. The presence of the fleas was first noticed by the 
acts getting upon persons whenever they went into the hen house. In- 
tigation showed the fleas in large numbers. It is noteworthy in this out- 
ak that all lice and chiggers disappeared from the flock. Although these 
asites iiiitate the skin and suck blood, no effect upon these birds was 
ed by the owner. Perhaps it was because the birds were largely out of 
prs. Symptoms similar to those produced by lice have been recorded 
TREATMENT.—Dipping the hens in five per cent Kreso Dip rid these 
Is of fleas, and the premises treated as indicated under “Lice” were rid 
;he pest. 
LARGE ROUND WORM, (Ascaris inflexa) 
DESCRIPTION.—This is quite a common worm, found in the first por- 
l of the intestinal tract of chickens. It is round, white or yellowish-white 
| :olor, and from one to two inches in length. Its natural size is illustrated 
Hg. 12. The male is smaller than the female, and it has a complete diges- 
- tract and robs the bird of nutrients. Ten per cent of the birds examined 
the laboratory during the past three years have been found to be in- 
;ed by this worm. 
LIFE HISTORY.—This worm reproduces by laying eggs, microscopic in 
i, which pass out with the feces. Other birds become infested by drinking 
eating food contaminated or soiled with the excrement of the infested 
Is. In this way, one infested bird introduced into the flock, may spread 
disease to all birds of the flock. 
CONDITION PRODUCED.—A few worms may produce no noticeable 
ct upon the health of the bird. At times they are found in large masses, 
tructing the bowel and causing constipation, diarrhoea, catarrh of the 
^el and possibly, irritation sufficiently to cause inflammation. There may 
a loss of appetite, unthrifty condition, unkept appearance of plumage, 
l, languid and droopy wings, emaciation, loss of color to comb and mucous 
nbranes; and death may occur in a few weeks. 
Careful examinations by opening the digestive tracts of the birds killed 
food purposes keeps one informed as to whether parasitism is present in 
flock. If there are worms present in the birds, one will occasionally note 
t worms are passed in the feces. Reports have been made that wor m s 
wering this description have been found in eggs. By referring to Fig. 
- will be seen that a live worm, possessing power of movement as these 
•ms do, passing into the cloaca (No. 16) from the rectum (No. 15) can 
3 up the egg canal (No. 23) and thus be incorporated in the albumen of 
egg, as it is formed around the yolk. It is not beyond a possibility that 
following described worm (Heterakis papillosa) may, at times, do the 
te thing. These conditions are probably rare. \ 
TREATMENT.—It \s necessary to keep the yard and hen house clean, 
te should be scattered on the floor and about the yard, and the birds should 
vatered and fed from a clean though made for the purpose and disinfected 
ly and so constructed that birds cannot step into it. If possible, birds 
uld be moved occasionally upon new ground. The parasite eggs in the 
