NESTS AND OTHER APPLIANCES 



67 



Earthenware 

 Nest=Pans. 



ware nest-pan, 



water for half 



is over. Clean nests mean healthy birds, 

 while dirt and filth engender discomfort 

 and disease. 



The nest to which we give ])reference 

 over all others, and which we have now 

 used for many years with 

 the greatest success, is the 

 modern unglazed earthen- 

 ined with either swansdown 

 or felt. The lining is fixed into the nest- 

 pan by means of a stiff paste made of rye 

 Hour. If the linings are fixed in over- 

 night they will be firm, dry, and ready 

 for use in the morning. When the nest is 

 soiled by the young birds the linings are 

 easily removed by soaking the nests in 

 an hoiu% when they will 

 lift out. The nest 

 can then be 

 scrubbed and 

 cleansed from 

 any adhering ex- 

 crement, rinsed 

 in clean water, 

 and allowed to 

 stand luitil dry. 

 They can then 

 be relined with 

 new swansdown 

 or felt, and will 

 be equal to new. 

 The zinc pattern by which new linings 

 can be cut, shown in the accompany- 

 ing diagram, will be found most useful in 

 cutting the swansdown or felt without 

 waste. 



This nest is fixed in the cage by means 

 of a wire bracket (see diagram), which 



is hung in the 

 centre of the 

 back of the 

 cage between 

 the two 



perches, or at 

 the one end, 

 whichever is 

 preferred. 

 This is done 

 by means of 

 a small wire 



EARTHENWARE NEST AND WIRE 1 • 1 • 



BRACKET FOR HANGING. hook, whlch IS 



ZING PATTERN FOR CUTTING 

 LININGS FOR EARTHEN- 

 WARE NEST-PANS. 



screwed into the back of the cage at 

 such a height that the top of the nest- 

 pan, when placed in the wire bracket, 

 hangs about an inch above the level 

 of the perches. This is a nice height for 

 the hens to hop to and from the nest, 

 while it also serves to check the habit, 

 which some hens have, of fiyiiig off the nest 

 on to the perch, if tlie perches are just 

 above the level of the top of the nest. 

 This habit is frequently the cause of 

 young birds or eggs being pulled out of 

 the nest by the hens. The advantage, 

 therefore, of having the perches arranged 

 just below the level of the top of the nest 

 will at once be apparent. When the 

 young birds are about ten daJ^s or a fort- 

 night old, the |)erches can be raised to the 

 level of the nest, or 1 inch above the top 

 if it is desired, as there is then no fear at 

 that age of the young birds being pulled 

 out of the nest by the hen. With the 

 perches fixed above the nest in the manner 

 we have described, the old birds hav'e a 

 greater command, and can feed the growing 

 youngsters much easier, as they in turn 

 stretch up to be fed. 



The round frame of the wire bracket 

 which holds the nest-pan projects about a 

 qiuvrter of an inch at the back, and is finished 

 off with two sharp points which imbed them- 

 selves into the back of the cage just 

 sufficiently to hold it firm and prevent the 

 bracket oscillating on the j)oints. These pro- 

 jecting points also keep the nest from 

 touching the back of the cage, thus pre- 

 venting any possible harbour for insect life. 

 This is a distinct improvement on the 

 arrangement of other nests. 



The nest itself is of the most approved 

 shape, it spreads gradually from a nice 

 roomy bottom, rounded inside, with good 

 expanse, thus allowing ample room, for 

 the growth of the young brood. It will 

 be observed from the illustration that 

 there are three or four small holes round the 

 side of the nest-pan as a means of ventila- 

 tion. The thick round rim at the top 

 not only prevents the possibility of its 

 dropping through the wire bracket, but 

 also affords good perching accommodation 



