88 MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



swings down and fastens itself in place by its lower edge strik- 

 ing the light end of a wooden latch or lever, pressing it down and 

 slipping over it. The latch is five inches long, one inch wide and 



half an inch thick. The latch acts quickly enough to catch the door 

 before it rebounds. The double box with nest in the rear end is 

 necessary, as when a bird has laid and desires to leave the nest, she 

 steps to the front and remains there until released. 



With one section only, she would be very likely to crush her egg 

 by standing upon it. 



The boxes, which have no tops, are arranged in cases in groups 

 of four and slide in and out like drawers. They may, of course, be 

 used singly by simply providing a cover for each box. When a 

 hen has layed, the nest is pulled part way out or the cover lifted, as 

 the case may be, and the hen removed. 



I have made nest boxes myself from these plans. I used wooden 

 shoe boxes or cracker boxes, and easily made two in a morning. The 

 wire was a little difficult to bend, but a boy did it for me. One 

 word of caution : It is well to have nests enough, because the hens 

 must be coaxed to lay, and when they get ready, they must not be 

 kept waiting. If a hen is dissatisfied with her nest she may hold her 

 egg for twenty-four hours and in time be taught to lay only every 

 other day. It is wise to encourage the hens to lay and I have found 

 these trap-nests so cleverly invented by Mr. Gowell are much liked 

 by the hens, while others I bought frightened the hens and pre- 

 vented their laying. They were enclosed on the nest, pushing their 

 heads out and trampling on the eggs, breaking some and entirely 

 defeating the object of the nest, which is "more eggs and better 

 hens." 



