POULTRY-HOUSE CONVENIENCES. 39 



commenced to sit may be written. When a wire nest 

 needs cleaning, it is laid on the ground in the yard, the 

 straw set on fire, and after that is consumed there will be 

 no vermin left to infest the nest. A basket-nest may be 

 drenched with boiling water and purified. 



A LOCKED NEST-BOX. 



It frequently happens that a nest-box that will lock 

 up is desired. Such a box may be made 3 feet square 

 and 18 inches deep, which will be large enough for two 

 nests. The door is at a. At Z> is a partition extending 

 half through the box, and at the inside of this are two 



Fig. 23. 



nests about 8 inches deep, 16 inches long, and 12 inches 

 wide. These are seen through the side of the box, which 

 is partly removed for this purpose. For small breeds of 

 poultry the box may be made considerably smaller. 

 Such a retired nest as this exactly meets the instincts of 

 the hen, and it becomes very acceptable to her. 



