NESTING CONTRIVANCES 



53 



upon my approach. The boxes should be bought for 

 from eight to ten cents each." 



The cuts in Figure 63 show how a contrivance can 

 be made for laying hens which will keep out hogs, 

 dogs, or any animals liable to destroy the eggs. The 

 framework is two by three scantling. Then ordinary 

 boards are used for the sides and roof. The hens go in 

 at the entrance and pass around either end of a, gain- 

 ing access to the nests. A little door, b, at the end, 

 shown in the right-hand cut, closed, by means of a hasp, 

 permits entrance for the removal of the eggs. This 



FIG 63 : SECURE NEST BOX 



little nesting place can be moved to any convenient part 

 of the yard and the eggs deposited there are secure. 

 The hens will soon learn to go to it. The material re- 

 quired is eight pieces of one by twelve inches eight feet 

 long, two pieces of one by fourteen inches three feet 

 long, two pieces of two by three inches three feet long, 

 eight pieces of one by twelve inches twelve feet long, 

 two pieces of one by three inches eight feet long, and 

 one piece of one by ten inches six feet long, with two 

 pounds of eightpenny nails. 



Open-work nests, as in Figure 64, at the left of 

 the illustration, are easily kept clean and free from 



