NESTING CONTRIVANCES 



59 



latch or lever. The latch is five inches long-, one inch 

 wide and one-half inch thick, and is fastened loosely 

 one inch from its center to the side of the box, so that 

 the outer end is just inside of the door when it is 

 closed. Pieces of old rubber belting are nailed at the 

 outside entrance for the door to strike against. 



Roosting and Nesting Device — Figure 67 shows a 

 very excellent roosting and nesting device that has 

 done duty in the cold of a Maine winter. It is in use 

 for a small pen of Leghorns — a breed that must be 





FIG 69: NESTS FOR DUCKS 



kept warm at night, if eggs are to be had at this season 

 of the year. The roost is put across the corner of the 

 pen and a piece of burlap is stretched before it A few 

 crosspieces are laid across the corner at the curtain's 

 upper edge, and on these is piled a lot of waste hay, 

 making a very warm roosting place. The Leghorns 

 delight to fly up on this hay and lay their eggs under 

 the impression that they are stealing away their nests. 

 Humoring a Leghorn in this way is conducive to lay- 

 ing, and the eggs can easily be reached. As the whole 

 thing can be put up in five minutes' time, there is no 

 excuse for frosted combs on the Leghorns. 



