94 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



Platform Nests 



The platform nests shown in Fig. 182 are easily con- 

 stiucted and will be fftund practical and convenient. The 

 brackets and bottom boards are permanent while the rest 

 may readily be removed for cleaning and disinfecting. The 



bottom board is two inches 

 narrower than the nest par- 

 titions, so that when these 

 are in place there will be an 

 inch space on each side of 

 the bottom boards, which 

 makes the nests self-clean- 

 ing to some extent. Instead 

 of placing the front platform 

 stringer flat, as in the illus- 

 tration, many prefer to make 

 the platform two inches 

 higher so that the stringer 

 may be set on edge, making 

 the platform more rigid. 

 Nests should be made of 

 light-weight material, such 

 as white pine, for ease in 

 handling, but do not use too 

 thin boards. Three-quarter- 

 inch or 13-16-inch stuff is as 

 light as it is advisable to 

 use. Nest boards should be 

 surfaced on all sides. It is 



FIG. 187 CROSS SECTION 

 OF WALL NESTS 



easier to keep them clean if smooth and it takes less 

 time and less material to paint them with lice paint or 

 disinfectants. Do not make the nests too long. *A 

 set of four or five nests is easier handled than when 

 longer. For a set of platform nests the following material 

 will be required. 



BILL, OF MATERIALS FOR FIVE PLATFORM NESTS 



Door %x7 inches 6 lin. feet 



Front (below door) %x6 inches 6 lin. feet 



Nest bottom %x!2 inches 6 lin. feet 



Back strip %x4 inches 6 lin. feet 



Top strip, front and back %x2 inches 12 lin. feet 



Partitions %xll inches 7 lin. feet 



Running board %x6 inches 6 lin. feet 



Bracket : %x4 inches 10 lin. feet 



1 pr. 4-inch T-strap hinges. 



1 wooden button. 



No allowance made for waste in cutting'. 



Orange Box Nests 



Fig. 188 shows how ordinary orange boxes may be 

 utilized as nests. Such nests are a trifle small for large 



FIG. 188 NESTS MADE FROM ORANGE BOXES 







hens, but for Leghorns they are quite satisfactory. If at- 

 tached to the wall or partition by means of a couple of 

 hooks and eyes, as shown in the illustration, they will re- 

 quire no other support and can be taken out for cleaning 

 with the slightest possible trouble. 



Wall Nests 



A good type of nest is shown in Figs. 185 and 187. The 

 construction is easily understood from these illustrations. 

 It will be noticed that the bottom board in front of each 

 set of nests is hinged at the top so that it may be raised 

 up and the nests conveniently cleaned without moving 

 them. These boards are held in place by means of small 

 screw hooks and eyes. Fig. 184 shows a set of 18 wall 

 nests arranged in three tiers, but for ordinary use eight 

 nests in two tiers are as many as it is advisable to build 

 together. For such a set the following lumber is re- 

 quired: 



BILL, OF MATERIALS FOR EIGHT WALL NESTS 



Top boards %xlO inches 9 ft. 2 



Back Boards %xlO inches 15 ft. in 



Sides %x7 inches 12 ft. in 



Bottoms %x8 inches 8 ft. in 



Bottoms %x7 inches 8 ft. 6 in 



Running- boards y 8 x6 inches 8 ft. 6 in 



Partitions %x!2 inches 7 ft. in 



Front boards, bottom %x4 inches 8 ft. 6 in 



Front boards, top %x2 inches 8 ft. 6 



Support for running- bds....%x2 inches 7 ft. 4 



Strips %x% inches 7 ft. in 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



lin. ft. 



If T & G boards are used for top, back, etc., get 55 



ft. board meas. 

 2 pr. 1-inch butt hinges. 

 4 2-inch hooks and eyes. 



No allowance made for waste 



cutting. 



Sectional Nests. 



The nests shown in Fig. 189 are adapted for use either 

 in the laying house or for sitting hens. They are built 

 with solid bottoms, backs and ends, and may be stacked 



FIG. 189 CONVENIENT SECTIONAL NESTS 



up one on the other in the fashion of sectional bookcases, 

 which suggests the name. The doors are on hinges and 

 are supported in a horizontal position by means of strong 

 cords or wires, and in this position serve as running- 

 boards. They can be closed when necessary, turned to 

 face the wall, or placed in any other position. They can 

 be made in sets of two, three or four, though the latter is 

 not advisable unless light-weight wood is used. For sit- 

 ting hens they should be made 13 to 15 inches high, and 

 about 14 inches square. 



TRAP NESTS 



Plans for Trap Nests That Are Easily Made and . 

 Reliable in Action. 



A simple, convenient trap nest that has given the best 

 of service for many years is shown in Figs. 190, 191 and 

 192. The hen in entering the nest raises the door slightly. 

 which releases trigger B in Fig. 191, and as soon as she 

 has passed from under the door it drops in place and the 

 hen will have to remain in the nest until released by the 

 attendant. Fig. 190 shows all the different parts that enter 



