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Show TO CHECK INROADS OF POULTRY LOUSE Eradication Simple Matter, Specialist Says. By R. B. GRAY, Extension Poultryman. Ohio State University. -WNU Service. Controlling the Inroads of the poultry louse upon the production of the farm flock is a relatively simple sim-ple task. The first symptoms of lice infestation are droopiness, lowered low-ered wings, and ruffled feathers. In young chicks, diarrhea follows and chickens often die in a few days ; or in older chicks they sometimes fall prey to various other diseases. Mature birds sometimes are very heavily infested without showing much ill effects, but usually the egg yield is likely to decrease with a heavy lice infestation. In other cases, the mature bird may lose weight and die as a result of these little rapacious warriors. Perhaps one . of the best ways of controlling lice Is by the use of nicotine sulphate. This material Is applied to the top part of the perches just before the birds go to roost. The essential thing is to get as small a quantity as possible along the roosts and yet have some along the entire length of the roost. Although nicotine sulphate is very expensive, it has been found that a teacupful of the material is enough to treat the perches in a house with a capacity of 250 birds. A second application should be made some eight or ten days after the first in order to destroy the newly hatched lice. |