Nests, and Egg -eating 



117 



the nests rather than take equally as conve- 

 nient a nest which is unoccupied. If the nests 

 can be approached from only one side, one hen 

 in trying to drive the other off, which she will 

 eventually accomplish, will force the occupant 

 to spring from the nest suddenly. This may 



Fig. 40. Perches and nests, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station. 



cau.se the eggs to be thrown violently to one side, 

 and often a broken egg is the result. 



The vice of egg- eating is undoubtedly largely 

 caused by eggs being broken accidentally, or by 

 frozen eggs. If the nests can be placed in partial 

 darkness, the habit of egg-eating should be reduced 



