Furniture loi 



Nests. — Orange, lemon, or egg boxes make 

 excellent nests. They cost nothing, and come 

 already divided, just the right size for the hens. , 

 All we have to do is to nail a strip of the cover 

 three or four inches wide across the lower part 

 ^ of the open front, to keep the hay in place. Do 

 not nail these to the wall. Make a shelf at the 

 end away from the door, about the height of the 

 dropping boards, and put the nests on that. 

 Three boxes are enough for twenty-five hens. 



The nesting material may be of hay, straw, fine 

 excelsior, or fine shavings. Soft hay is probably 

 the best, though fine straw and excelsior give good 

 results. Be sure to keep the nesting material 

 fresh and clean. 



Dust Box.^ — ^A box about a foot deep, large 

 enough for two hens to kick around in, must be 

 provided, for a dust box. It should be set up on 

 legs at least a foot high, so litter from the floor 

 will not be thrown in. 



The bath may be of dry earth or sifted ashes. 

 Sifted hard-coal ashes can be had in most places, 

 and seem to givq the hens more satisfaction than 

 most types of earth. Fill the box half full, iand 

 renew every three or four months. 



