CONSTRUCTION 



ment consists of receptacles for food and water, nests and 

 roosts. Food receptacles consist of wet and dry mash hop- 

 pers, grit, shell, and charcoal hoppers. 



The "V" shape trough, made of 6 or 8 in. boards, any 

 length, is best for wet mash. Dry mash hoppers must be 

 made so they will not clog. For small flocks a small box 

 6 or 8 in. deep, with lath nailed across the top so as to pre- 

 vent the birds scratching in the mash, will be found satis- 

 factory. An ordinary stove pipe, about 2 ft. long, suspended 

 above the top of the box with bottom about 4 in. from bot- 

 tom of box, will increase the capacity of hopper. Figure 8 

 illustrates a simple and effective grit and shell hopper. All 

 food and water receptacles should be placed on a platform 

 about 18 in. above the floor, or hung on a wall with a con- 

 veniently placed platform for the birds to stand on. Grain 

 and mash storage hoppers in each house, similar to illustra- 

 tion, Fig. 8, page 14, materially reduce the labor, especially 

 in a colony system. 



Nests are of two types; the simple open nest, and the 

 trap nest. Both types are preferably placed under dropping 

 boards, so arranged that the birds will be required to 

 walk in under the dropping board and get into the nest from 

 the rear, the nest being made accessible to the attendant by 

 a hinged door in front. The trap nest is sometimes desirable 

 for the development of exhibition birds, but is not absolutely 

 necessary. Where large flocks are cared for there is entirely 

 too much labor attached to the trap nest. Proper breeding 

 can be accomplished by selection from the flock of small 

 pens. One of the most successful breeders of White Plym- 

 outh Rock chickens in the country has developed his flock 

 in this way. 



Roosts should be of 2 x 3*3 or 2 x 4's, set on edge with 

 the top rounded and set-in cross-pieces hinged to wall as per 

 Fig. 4. The distance between roosts varies with the breed 

 of bird. For Langshans and Brahmas, 10 inches ; for Wyan- 

 dottes and Plymouth Rocks, 8 inches ; and for Leghorns and 

 Minorcas, 7 inches, are proper. Roosts should invariably be 

 located where they are out of the way of the attendant and 

 not in a draft. They should be placed level. The ladder 

 form of roost is very undesirable. 



Thirteen 



