244 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 1908. 



DESCRIPTION OE THE NEST. 



The nest is a box-like structure, without front, ends, or cover, 

 28 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 16 inches deep, inside meas- 

 ure. A division board with a circular opening 7 1-2 inches in 

 diameter is placed across the box 12 inches from the rear end 

 and 15 inches from the front end. The rear section is the nest 

 proper. Instead of having the partition between the two parts 

 of the nest made with a circular hole it is possible to have sim- 

 ply a straight board partition extending up 6 inches from the 

 bottom as shown in Figure 1. The partition with circular 

 opening is, however, recommended. There are several reasons 

 why the circular opening appears to be better than the straight 

 board across the bottom of the nest. Experience has shown 

 that a hen is less likely to go back and forth between the two 

 compartments after she has laid when there is only the relatively 

 small circular opening between them, than when there is a 

 larger opening. This reduces the likelihood of broken eggs. 



The front portion of the nest has no fixed bottom. Instead 

 there is a movable bottom or treadle which is hinged at the back 

 end (Figure 1). To this treadle is hinged the door of the nest. 

 The treadle is made of 1-2" pine stuff with 1 1-2" hard wood 

 cleats at each end (Figures 2 and 3) to hold the screws which 

 fasten the hinges. It is 12" wide and 12 1-4" long. Across its 

 upper face just behind the hinges holding the door is nailed a 

 pine strip 4" wide bevelled on both sides as shown in Figures 

 2 and 3. The door of the nest is not made solid but is an open 

 frame (Figures 1 and 3) to the inner side of which is fastened 

 (with staples or cleats) a rectangular piece of 1-8" mesh galvan- 

 ized screening (dimensions 8" xo,"). The sides of the door are 

 strips of 3-4" beech stuff 12" long and 1 1-2" wide halved at the 

 ends to join to the top and bottom of the door. The top of 

 the door is a strip of hard wood 13" long and 1 1-2" wide, 

 halved in 2 3-4" from each end. The projecting ends of this 

 top strip serve as stops for the door when it closes (Fig. 1). 



