126 Farm Poultry 



perches. If a broad iron shovel with a tolerably 

 straight handle is used, the perches need not be 

 more than from five to eight inches from a level 

 platform. It is desirable to have the platform 

 some distance from the floor, in order that the 

 fowls may occupy the floor-space underneath the 

 platform. This will permit the construction of 

 perches, and, at the same time, will allow the fowls 

 to use all of the floor-space. The perches may 

 be supported by brackets secured to the side wall, 

 as shown in Fig. 44. 



Nests.- In the construction of nests in poultry 

 houses, at least three points should constantly be 

 kept in mind. First, the nest should be situated 

 in a place which is more or less dark; second, it 

 should be readily accessible to the fowls from more 

 than one side; and, third, it should be constructed 

 in such a way that it can be readily seen, easily 

 cleaned, and thoroughly disinfected. Since it is 

 important to give the fowls as much floor-space 

 as possible, it is usually best to have the nest attached 

 in some manner to the side or end walls of the build- 

 ing. In a general way it may be said that the num- 

 ber of fowls which a poultry house will accommo- 

 date depends on the floor-space and air-space which 

 the house contains. Anything, therefore, that 

 unnecessarily occupies floor-space will diminish the 

 capacity of the house. Various plans of arranging 

 nests have been adopted, and it is difficult and 



