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Show EFFICIENT TRAP NEST IS A NECESSITY ! : r U Fig 1 XT- 1 A trap nest is a laying nest so arranged ar-ranged that after a hen enters it she is confined until released by the attendant. at-tendant. The trap nest shown in the accompanying illustrations is used with good results 0)i the government poultry farm and is quite similar to the nest used at the Connecticut state experiment station. It is very simple and may be built at a small cost. The use of trap nests is essential in breeding poultry for both egg production pro-duction and exhibition, where pedigree pedi-gree records are used in selecting either the males or females, and has a place in mass selection for increasing increas-ing the egg production. Trap nests are of value in weeding out poor layers lay-ers and increasing the average egg yield of a flock by selecting and breeding, breed-ing, but are not extensively used on account of the large amount or labor required to operate theni. Some poultry poul-try breeders trap nest, their pullets during their first six months of laving lav-ing and use this a3 a basis in selecting select-ing their breeders for egg production One trap nest (Fig. 1) should be provided for four to five hens kept in flocks of fifty or more, while more trap nests per hen are necessary in smaller small-er flocks. The hens are banded with numbered bands, and a record i t,0nt of their egg production. The nests chould be visited at least three times daily, and preferably four or five times, frequent trips being especially necessary when the hens are laying freely and during hot weather. When the hen enters this nest her back raises the door (c), which releases re-leases the catch or trigger (a) and allows the door to shut. The catch should be set so that its edge just I holds the dor. which position is regulated by the screw or nail at the lower inside edge of the cat. h. A washer should be placed on the screw (d) between the catch and the side of the nest to prevent this catch from sticking. The guard (b) around the catch keeps the nestling material away from the catch. The length of r the catch which supports the door and the triangular notch in the door may be varied slightly for very small or very large hens. Constructing a Three-Compartrr.ent Nest. Cut four seven-eighth-inch beards for ends and partitions, 12 inches wide by 19 inches long, enough one-half-inch boards 39V, inches long, laid lengthwise, to cover the top, back and bottom, and one strip 39 '.4 inches long and one and one-half inches wide for the front of the nests. Cut three pieces of one-half-inch boards 12 inches long and three inches high to insert in the nest to hold the nesting material away from the door. Nail the top, back and bottom to the ends and partitions (see Fig. 2), insert in-sert the three-inch strips in the nests, and make the guard (b), nailing it to the left side of the nest. Bore a hole in the catch (a) large enough so that the catch will move freely when screwed into position on the side. Place a washer on the screw between the catch and the side of the nest. Place a screw at the lower edge of the catch to stop it when set, so that the catch will just hold the door. -Make the doors (e) of seven-eiehthj. inch material. 12 inches by six inches, and cut a triangular notch in the center cen-ter four inches wide Put two screw-eyes screw-eyes in the top of the doors and bore holes in the front of the nests two inches below the top (inside measure ment), through which a three-sixteenth-inch wire is run to support the doors. Attach a narrow strip to the front of the nests for the hens to jump upon when entering the nests. Place a button but-ton or block of wood on the front of each partition to hold the tfbor when the nest is closed. If the nests are to be placed directly direct-ly below the dropping board, a wire top should be used on the next, except for a five-inch strip of wood on the front edge of the top to stiffen the nest. |