552 THE VETERINARY SCIENCE 



the eggs, etc., which may be the cause of egg eating. Notice 

 the provision made for dropping step at night to prevent 

 roosting on it and also the top of the nests for the same 

 reason. 



Gather the eggs frequently but do not annoy the hens. 

 Use ch»na nest eggs to prevent breakage. 



Fig. 96. A Trap Nest— Side View. 1, 2. Hinges. 8. Door. 4. Trip Board on 



which the Hen Steps when Entering the Nest. 5. String Attached to the Trip 



Board and to a Hook which Holds the Door Open. 6. Hook Suspending the 



Door. 7. Strip upon which one End of the Trip Board Rests. 8. String 



Attached to the Door by which it is Opened to Liberate the Hen. 



A Trap Nest is made in such a manner as to catch the 

 hen as soon as she goes in to lay. Here she is kept until 

 liberated. The object in doing this is to find out exactly 

 how many eggs each hen lays. Then it is possible to breed 

 from the best layers. By the use of the trap nest and by 

 acting upon the information it supplies, the egg production 

 and breed of the flock is greatly improved. Figs. 96 and 97 

 show the plan of arranging the trip. 4 is a half-inch strip 4 

 in. wide, upon which the hen steps when entering the nest, 

 A. Her weight presses down the strip and by means of the 

 string, 5, the hook, 6, is pulled out and the door, 3, of the 

 nest falls shut. The hen, of course, is caught and must re- 

 main until liberated, by which time she will have laid, and 

 the door is hooked up again for the next. There are many 

 different and elaborately made nests, but this simple, home- 

 made contrivance serves the purpose and is easily made. 

 The door is hinged, 1 and 2, to 2-in. strips, which are also 



