THE POULTRY BATH.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 130, 1 December 1908, Page 7

THE POULTRY BATH.

THE VERMIN QUESTION. Tho warm weather reminds us that early precautions must bo taken to prevent fowl houses and fowls from being over-run with vermin, the neglect of which will entail very cojisi tier able discomfort ■to tho birds, m.:d consequent diminution in the egg supply. This is a matter too often ignored by farmers and others, to whom poultry arc only a. side issue, and who frequently declaim against them as being unprofitable; yet the same persons often would bo horrified if their stables or milking bails were allowed to approach tho condition of their fowl roosts. . Cleanliness, the use of lime or other disinfecting washes, and the provision of suitable dust baths, are tho real preventatives of vermin of almost all kinds, and of t'heso the former is the most important. If roosts are sound, and are not connected with the sides or root's, of the -fowl-houses, and the floor is daily cleared of the droppings, and strewn with fresh ashes, the red mite, which is probably re-sponsible-for the greatest amount of mischief, can be kept well in check. The roost and supports need oiling with kerosene occasionally. This will prevent them lodging in the roost or its supports, and they will not travel over the ashes-strewn floor if the ashes are fresh. THE DUST BATH. The natural method of getting rid of body lice is the dust bath, and this the birds will provide for themselves by scratching up the loose earth. But this earth, wants renewing, and unless, the soil is very friable, it is always wise to add to it some sand or gritty road dirt. Ashes should also be supplied, but the latter the most so. If wood ashes are used, it is advisable to add a little flowers of sulphur. Tobacco dust is excellent, and will be a very great help in eradicating body lice, if the hens are not top badly infested. A pound . of • tobacco dust will not be too much to add to three ori four buckets of ashes and earth. • LIGHT AND AIR. Tho more light and air the roosting houses have the less thoy are likely to become infested with vermin. Ticks, red mites — they are really not red until made so by their victims' blood — and bed bugs, abhor the light, and hence the open house, besides being less expensive and easy to clean, is a d«siderat\un. Further, if a flood of sunshine makes the light liouso insufferably hot during a portion of the day, so much the worse for the vermin, which, thrive r most in moist warmth, and are driven out by intense dry heat. But, of course, if the house becomes hot in the day, cool shade and nest boxes must be provided elsewhere, and this is really the best, as it allows the roosting houses to become thoroughly sweet and wholesomo for the birds at roosting time. . Modern invention has eased the labor of lime-washing immensely, the lime-wash syringe making it possible to get over twenty times the work in an hour that could formerly be accomplished, while the crevices are penetrated even better than with the brush. The limewash, however, takes a little more time in preparing, as it must be thoroughly strained. Of course, tho work is streaky, but this does not matter in the poultry house. Sheep dip, or other disinfectants, can be easily applied with a common garden syringe, a strength of 1 in 100 being sufficient. If these are relied on, they should bo applied about every fourteen days. Both with disinfectants and lime-wash, the roof should be treated as well as the walls.