178 



J uurnat of Agricidture, Victoria. \ 10 jMakcii, 1919. 



TRAP NESTING. 



\V. ('. Unf/g. (rorti)unent Fa)')n, Wijana. 



A poultry fanner bivi'diiig for prolific egg production cannot attain 

 his object unless lie knows exactly what return is being obtained from 

 individual birds. Single penning is undoubtedly the most accurate 

 method of finding this out, but the high cost of building material is 

 a bar to 'a great many poultry breeders erecting the required number 

 of pens. 



The most economical way to ascertain the best layers in a flock is 

 to trap-nest pullets for the first twelve months, and any birds not 

 showing a .'Satisfaetory tally can then be culled out. By using trap-nests 

 the breeder is enabled to identify the good laj-er, the bad layer, the 

 hen that lays the tinted egg, the badly shaped egg, the thin-shelled egg. 



Set of Trap Nests. — Centre nest shows position of curtain when hen is on nest. 



tlie small egg, or the double-yoke egg, and the hen that eats her egg. 

 The illustrations on pages 178 and 179. show sets of trap-nests used for 

 the egg-laying competitions at lUirnley, and which can be recommended 

 because they can be cheaply and easily made by any one handy with a 

 hammer aiid saAV. Such trap-nests have been in use at the Wyuna State 

 Fanu for the past four years, and have proved highly satisfactory. Sets 

 of four nests are used for pens of 6 birds. If constructed as illustrated, 

 plenty of ventilation is assured even on the hottest day, and the roof 

 projecting a few inches protects the nests from the weather. 



It is advisable to place the nests in the yards a week or two before 

 the birds start laying. The blind should be hung up and the bob-Avirc 

 sufficiently bent to allow tin; birds to go in and out; this will give tlii'in 

 confidence. On the day of commencing the testing, bend wires back 

 to original position and set trap in the ordinai'y way: Lnstanccs of 

 pullets laying outsid<; sometimes occui", but, if the offender be caught 

 and ))laced in the nest once or twice, there is not likely to be any further 



