366 



AGRICULTURE 



just under the eaves if these are not too high. Hens lay 

 best in a secluded place. The nests should therefore be 

 covered, and sufficiently enclosed to make them partially 

 dark. Openings through the outer wall large enough to 

 admit the hand into the nests will allow the gathering of 

 the eggs without entering the building. Care must be 

 taken, however, to provide a way to close these holes so 

 that drafts may not strike the nests. 



Colony hoiKses and runs for ducks. 



Colony houses. Colony houses are small buildings 

 intended for from fifteen to twenty-five fowls, and are 

 movable. They may be constructed on the same plan as the 

 larger building, and are placed on sills or runners so that 

 that may be dragged from place to place with a team. 

 Poultrymen who use colony houses move them .frequently, 

 thus securing better hygienic conditions. The colony house 

 is especially desirable for hens with broods of chickens. 

 Many large poultry raisers use both the permanent building 

 and the colony house for their flocks. 



