nests should be cut at an angle. At the top of the back board nail over 
the partitions a board 8 inches wide. As a lid for all the nests, use a 
f-inch by 10-inch board the full length of the space they occupy. Secure 
this to the 8-inch top board with three 3-inch butt hinges, so that the board 
can be folded back against the windows during the day. 
Construct a dropping board as shown in the plan. 
On the face of the studs at the rear wall nail a | in. X 3 in. strip the 
full length of the dropping board. At the corner place a 2X4 post run¬ 
ning up 10 inches higher than the dropping board. At the front, as a sup¬ 
port for the dropping board, nail one end of a 2X4 on edge to the post. 
Nail the other end to the stud at the wall. Lay the dropping board on this 
2X4 and on the strip previously nailed to the back wall. The dropping 
board should be composed of f-inch matched boarding, with the joints 
running from front to back. Leave a clearance of 1 inch between the 
dropping board and the grain bin. 
Nail a 2X4 on edge from the top of the aforesaid post to the corre¬ 
sponding stud at the back wall. Nail a strip | in. X 3 in. on the face of 
the studs, at the other end of the dropping board, to carry the perch poles. 
Make the perch poles of 2 in. X 3 in. material. 
Construct a grain bin of f-inch material, with a partition in the mid¬ 
dle and with a slanting cover, so the birds will not be able to roost on it. 
Exterior Equipment 
The box show T n at the left of the door is a manure box, which should 
be built of f-inch material and provided with a tight-fitting cover. 
Although we show a 12 ft. X 12 ft. run, it will be better if a longer run 
can be made, say a run of 20 feet the full width of the building. 
The fence will prove most satisfactory if constructed as follows: Use 
1-inch mesh netting 2 feet up, the lower 4 inches being sunk into the 
ground. Use 4 feet of 2-inch mesh wire for the upper part. Around the 
top slope the netting in at an angle of 45 degrees, with an overhang 
of 2-inch mesh wire 18 inches wide. This overhang will usually prevent 
chickens from flying over the fence. It should be held up at the corners 
by braces. A gate should be placed near the door of the laying house. 
For the Baby Chicks 
In Fig. 2, showing the interior of the laying house, there is indicated 
with dotted lines a wire-mesh partition and a gate. The partition should 
be 6 feet high. For 2 feet above the ground the partition is to be con¬ 
structed of 1-inch mesh wire netting, and for the remaining 4 feet to the 
top, of 2-inch mesh wire netting. The purpose of the partition is to pre¬ 
vent the layers from flying into the compartment reserved for the baby 
chicks, which are to be raised under the International Sanitary Hover 
shown at the lower left-hand corner of the figure. 
Outside the house, in the yard, a similar fence is to be constructed, as 
indicated by the dotted lines. This temporary fence should be provided 
with a gate through which a person may enter the layers’ yard. 
21 
Dropping 
Board 
Roosts 
Grain Bin 
Manure Box 
Runs 
Fence 
