146 POULTRY FIXTURES 



the birds too closely confined. They may not be supplied with 

 enough fresh air; this may result in getting them into a tender con- 

 dition, making them liable to have frozen combs and winter colds. 



Dropping Boards. In order to provide some means of more 

 easily removing the droppings and keeping the house in a better 

 sanitary condition, dropping boards or platforms under the perches 

 have come into quite general use. This facilitates the saving of 

 large amounts of manure for fertilizer purposes. The dropping 

 boards are placed under the perches, usually at a distance of eight 

 to ten inches, being supported from the floor by legs or hung from 

 the ceiling by rods or wires. In narrow pens they rest on cleats 

 nailed to the walls. In small houses dropping boards are often 

 made movable so that they will slide similar to a drawer. They 

 should be constructed of matched lumber, having a perfectly 

 smooth upper surface. It is best to have the boards run perpen- 

 dicular to the perches, or in the direction which it is necessary for 

 the attendant to work when cleaning them with a hoe. It is neces- 

 sary to clean them, under general conditions, about twice a week. 

 It is possible by the use of absorbents, such as land plaster or dry 

 loam, to keep the droppings dry. This will allow of less frequent 

 cleaning. Eliminating the dropping boards by the substitution of 

 an absorbing material, such as peat moss, on the floor under the 

 perches is possible. This reduces labor; but also reduces the floor 

 space, which more than balances the labor item. 



Nests. All breeds of poultry have by nature a nesting habit, 

 and they desire to find some secluded spot, usually darkened, for 

 their eggs. For this reason, nests should be provided which will 

 offer the most inducement to the birds to lay in one place; thus 

 the danger of losing the eggs will be prevented. Clean eggs will 

 be insured and much labor saved in their collection if good nests 

 are provided. Even when allowed free range the birds will usually 

 come back to their roosting place to lay if there are suitable nests. 

 It is a natural habit for hens to make their own nests, yet the more 

 domesticated they become the less pronounced is this habit. Some 

 prefer to lay in nests with other hens. Nest eggs are useful because 

 they induce the birds to lay in the same place each time, and tend 

 to cause a greater distribution of eggs and less crowding in the nests. 



Nest Construction. (1) Nests should be darkened, so that the 

 birds feel secluded and protected. After laying they do not remain 

 so long on the nests and break the eggs. If eggs are broken in 

 light nests, it may result in developing the habit of egg eating. 



