EQUIPMENT AND LOFT NECESSITIES 2^5 



number of fly pens can be constructed and in tbis way several 

 pens of birds can be watered or given a batb sinudtaneously 

 and with practically no more labor tban it would take to give 

 one pen of birds water and a l)atli. 



After Hie trougb is made block it up in i)lace at the bottom 

 and aloj;g the outside front of your fly pen. You can make it 

 level by pouring a little water into the trough. 



To keep it from leaking first paint all the knot holes, joints, 

 cracks and corners, both inside and out, with a heavy coat 

 of asphaltum or warm tar. When this dries, which will only 

 take a few minutes, give the trough another coat of asphaltum 

 or tar, this time covering the entire surface of the trough. 

 Should you then find leaks at any place, repaint it at that point 

 with one or two more coats of tar. 



If a continuous trough is desired, two can be joined 

 and made water tight by tacking a piece of tin over the joints 

 or one-half of two adjoining boards can each be sawed out and 

 lapped together. 



After the trough is made and in place, make a gate frame 

 three feet wide and as long as the width of each fly pen; then 

 nail the wire on to this frame by using the same wire that is 

 in use on the fly pen. You can do this by putting the frame in 

 place, tack the wire on same and and then cutting the wire on 

 the outside of the frame. But before cutting the wire loose at 

 the top of the frame, nail a strip across the front of the fly pen 

 about three feet from the ground and tack the wire on to same. 

 This board will form a piece on which to hinge the gate, or the 

 wire can be left uncut at the top and thus will serve as a hinge. 



This frame or gate should swing down inside of the trough 

 when shut and w^hen open should raise up against the outer 

 top edge of the trough and be fastened there with a couple of 

 hooks or old fashioned wooden buttons, as shown in diagram. 

 When the gate is open the birds have access to the bathing 

 trough and when closed the trough can be swept out and cleaned 

 conveniently. 



To prevent the birds from getting out at the end of the trough 

 when the gate is open, or from getting from one pen to another, 

 tack a three-cornered piece of cloth to the gate and the fly pen 

 the size of the space when the gate is open. This cloth will 

 fold up like a bellows when the gate is shut. 



