46 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



The double box with nest in rear is necessary, as when a hen has laid 

 and desires to leave the nest, she steps out into the front space and 

 remains there, generally trying to escape, until she is released. With 

 one section only she would be very likely to crush her egg by stepping 

 upon it and learn the pernicious habit of egg-eating. 



The boxes are placed four in a block, and slide in and out like 

 drawers and can be carried away for cleansing when necessary. Four 

 nests in a pen have accommodated 20 hens, by the attendant going 

 through the pens once an hour, or a little oftener, during that part of 

 the day when the hens are busiest. Earlier and later in the day his 

 visits have not been so frequent. To remove a hen, the nest is pulled 

 part way out and as it has no cover, she is readily lifted up, and the 

 number on her leg band is noted on the record sheet, that is tacked up, 

 close at hand. After having been taken off a few times they do not 

 object to being handled, the most of them remaining quiet, apparently 

 expecting to be picked up. 



Before commencing the use of trap nests, it was thought that some 

 hens might be irritated by the trapping operation and object to the 

 noise incident to it, but we have not found an individual that appeared 

 to be annoyed by it, and we have used Leghorns, Brahmas, Wyan- 

 dottes and Plymouth Rocks. The amount of time required in caring 

 for the trap nests, so far as our work goes, can only be estimated, as 

 the time varies from one day to another, and having only fifty-two 

 nests in operation, the attendant's time was divided with other duties. 

 By noting the total time used per day in caring for the nests, when 

 the hens were laying most heavily, it is believed that one active person 

 devoting his entire time to trap nests, like ours, would take care of 

 400 to 500 nests used by 2,000 to 2,500 hens. When commencing the 

 year's work he would need assistance in banding the birds, but after 

 that was done he could care for the nests without assistance until mid- 

 summer, when the egg yields would probably be diminished and a part 

 of his time could be spared for other duties. 



One of the first difficulties encountered was with the leg bands. We 

 procured and used all of the bands that appeared to be durable, and not 

 likely to be lost off. Several kinds were easily put on but would last 

 only a few weeks or months before they would be loosening or break- 

 ing, and we finally adopted a make, that consists of a fairly broad metallic 

 band encircling the leg, with the ends held together by small brass 

 spring rings. These rings would sometimes get broken or lost out and 

 we put in two instead of one. Even then, when hens were moulting, 

 broody, or for other reasons not frequently handled and the rings ex- 

 amined, the bands would sometimes get off. Bands with duplicate 

 numbers and double rings are now used on both legs and the likelihood 

 of losing the identity of a bird is small. 



When not using trap nests, the following is a very satisfactory nest. 

 It is a foot wide, a foot high and three feet long with cover. A parti- 

 tion in the middle has an opening just large enough to admit the pas- 



