Nest-Boxes. 5 1 



hens we should make three rows, of five or six nests in each, 

 every nest to be twelve to fifteen inches square, according to 

 the size of fowls by which they will be used. The nests 

 should have no bottoms, backs, or fronts, save only a strip of 

 wood, three inches wide, nailed along the lower part of the 

 fronts, and another exactly like it at the back. The top of 

 each row will have to be entirely covered, and each of the 

 two bottom rows have a ledge of about six or. eight inches 

 wide standing in front. This will complete the nests, and 

 they will, therefore, consist simply of the partitions between 

 each nest, the ends, the tops, and the strips, back and front. 

 When put together the bottom row will stand on the ground 

 next to one of the walls, the second row above it, and the 

 third row above that. In order to prevent the fowls pulling 

 the nests over when jumping on to the ledges, strong iron 

 catches should be fixed to the end of each row with staples 

 in the wall, so as to keep them firm and secure. As will 

 have been seen, the top row will have no ledge, as one is not 

 needed there, but it will be necessary to have a sloping top, 

 or the birds will roost upon it, and thus constantly make it 

 foul and dirty. These nests can be taken to pieces in a 

 couple of minutes and re- erected as speedily, the great 

 advantage being that, having no floor, the moment they are 

 removed everything inside falls out, and there are no corners 

 where dirt or vermin can congregate. They should have a 

 good lime-washing inside and outside once a month, and this 

 will keep them perfectly sweet and clean. 



Heavy fowls, such as Cochins, Brahmas, and Dorkings, 

 will require some other arrangement, as the flying up and 

 down to the nests would injure them just as much as when 

 high perches are employed for them. This can be overcome 

 by placing all the nests on the ground, and having a sloping 

 board above the same the whole way round the house, or, 

 what is still better, make the top of the nests sloping 



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