HOW TO GET EGGS IN WINTER 91 



in a given period. Then the best egg producers 

 may be used for breeding stock. 



With a trap nest it is possible to identify the hens 

 which lay the large eggs and those which go onto 

 the nest but seldom lay an egg. In fact, it gives 

 the poultry keeper a working knowledge of his flock 

 not to be obtained in any other way. Trap nests 

 require close attention, of course, but not so much 

 of the poultry keeper's time as might be imagined, 

 if there are nests enough. Allowing a nest to every 

 four hens, he will not have to visit the poultry 

 house oftener than four times a day, and no hen will 

 be confined long enough to suffer, unless the weather 

 be very warm, and trap nests are not commonly 

 used in the warm season. 



There is a simple plan by which the results se- 

 cured by the trap nest may be approximated with 

 but little trouble to the attendant. A box contain- 

 ing a nest is placed in the partition between two pens, 

 one end of the box being open while a trap door is 

 arranged at the other end, so that the hens can en- 

 ter but not leave that way. The hens may be put 

 into the first pen in the morning and as fast as 

 they lay will pass into the second pen, so that when 



