166 



THE CORNELL UNIVERSITY TRAP NEST. 



(From Cornell Bulletin No. 284.) 



In Fig. 29 is illustrated the improved New York State trap nest 

 which the department is using at present. It costs but little more to 

 build than the ordinary nest boxes and can be made single or in 

 series, either under the droppings platform or fastened to the wall. 

 The wall form is usually preferred, and has been tried with and 

 without the hinged top. It would seem that the hinged top serves 

 little purpose other than to facilitate cleaning and replenishing the 

 nests with straw, because the hens come to the front of the nest after 

 they have laid, and will readily w r alk out when the trap is opened. 



This nest is very simple to operate. The fact that the trap in 

 front is closed shows the attendant that there is a hen in the nest. 

 Removing the hen through the front of the nest resets the trap. As 

 the trap' is made of galvanized iron, it does not offer a very inviting 

 place for the hens to perch, and so does away almost entirely with 

 the possibility of more than one hen entering the nest. 



tv/re pi 



Working plans of the innvwea new York Stale trap nest 

 Fig. 29. 



When the nests are put under the droppings platform, the bot- 

 tom comes under the nest part only. (Fig. 29.) This is to keep any 

 straw from getting under the trap, thus preventing it from working. 

 The nests are built in sections without top or bottom, and are slid in 

 underneath the trap parts, much on the same principle as a table 

 drawer with the bottom removed. The wall nests are placed on 

 brackets or are screwed to the wall through the back of the nests. The 

 tops are made slanting to prevent the fowls from roosting on them. 



