Milford chronicle., 1915-02-12
The TRAP NEST TO
Determine WINTER LAYERS
By J. H. McFAUL, Jr.
LII Rights Reserveal


For years the trap nest has been the
real guide Of the poultrymen for picking
out the very best laying hens, either for
the purpose OF breeding or for general
knowledge as to what the various mem
hers OF the flock are doing The use oil
he trap nest on a majority OF plants is
limited to from January LIST to June lst,
and again from October LIST until the close
Of the year BY the use of the trap nest
during these particular parts of the year,
one is enabled to determine just which
hens are the most profitable ones, and
from these to select his breeders for the
improvement of the future stock.
Occasionally you will find person who
resorts to the use of the trap nest during
the entire year, but this method is only
followed when a special test is being
made or an entirely new breed being
,dupted,
he idea of the trap nest is not really
70 learn just how many eggs a hen will
ay during the entire year, but how many
he will lay during the winter months.
Therefore its use is discarded during the
summer, and in its stead the open nest g
substituted, unless for the reason given
above Winter eggs bring high prices,
/
shown their value by the use of the trap
nest, will tend to build up a real winter
aging strain Eacl year, using only
those birds that have shown their value
is winter layers, will in the end accom-
psh the desired results.
1t s the business of poultryman to
get all out of bis birds that it is possible,
and as eggs bring far better price dur
ing this season OF the year than they so
IN the summer months, 1t is surely more
business like to endeavoT to produce win
rer LAYERS than summer ones. OF course,
selecting the winter layers, by use OF the
trap nest, year after year as breeders,
will naturally improve the flock for eggs
at this season. 1t will at the same time
have a tendency to reduce the number
of summer eggs, but we would rather
have this condition to exist than that the
Dirds lay well in the summer and during
he winter months remain idle.
Feed is naturally higher during the
winter than it is during the summer, but
this expense is more than offset by the |
greatly increased price obtained from win
ter eggs than that secured in the summer |
The trap nest was not designed for any |
particular breed, but may b5 used with |
success in building up or improving any |
of the several breeds to do prolific work.
Many persons, however, in working for
4 greatly increased winter yield, make the
fatal mistake OF forcing their binds into
aging by the force of condiments and
other highly stimulating articles of food.
While this will, in majority of cases,
produce the desired results, it will at the
same time bringl about an early decline
in the birds themselves. In breeding
and working for a winter egg yield by
proper breeding and feeding, without the
use of condiments, you get the bulk OF
the eggs at a time when they will bring
the best prices, and in addition, the
hens will get their much needed rest at
A season when the product is at its low
est ebb, and when in most cases it is un-
profitable to produce.
Another, and l may say serious mis-
take, made by many persons who are de-
sirous of building of a good laying strain
is to breed from phenomenal layers, then
mate up the offspring without regard to ,
their close relation. They continue the
practice for several years, and the result {
is that at the end of that time their flock
l. worthless. ,
This is in breeding, and there is no !
surer way to deteriorate flock of birds
than to practice this method. Don't be !,
misled by the seemingly good results
v llich attain from the first year of such !,
methods-know We that you will hit the
toboggan in a little while and the sud
len stop is what hurts the most.
In using the trap nests for picking out
he breeders, each and every bird must
be equipped with a numbered leg band,
% order that the correct method OF each !
nav he kept so that you will know which =
mes to select for tile breeding pens .
There are many kinds of trap nests now
IN Il market and all of them have some Z
rood qualities. while Of course, some are !
more desirable than others. The best l
ap nest, in my estimation, is one which =
: composed of two sections. The second p
y inner compartment is utilized as the "
], st. A nest which l particularly fancy h
s one in use at the Name Experimental ),
station. 1t is twenty eight inches long, u
hirteen inches wide, aud sixteen inches -
leep. A division board with circular
,pening. y inches in diameter, is placed .,
crcss the box II inches from the rear
md. This section is known as the nest .;
roper The front section has no fixed
,ottom, but instead there is a movable
,ottom or treadle hinged at the back
N hen the nest is open the door extends ~,
in front. The side strips of y.
he Slated door rest on a strip extending "
cross the nest and beveled OH the inside. =;
his strip is nailed to a piece of board y
lrmiug the front of the box proper, or
'hch is four inches wide. 5o
At the bottom OF this is nailed a two N'
ch strip, into which are set two four n
ch nails from which the heads have d
cen taken off, and Oh these nails rests
ne treadle when the nest is closed. The
inges used for the treadle and door are TO
arrow. In going into the nest, the hen to
cps upon the door and walks toward alb
le dark inner section or nest proper,
nd when she passes the point where the th
DOR is hinged to the treaddle her weight Gl
fuses it to drop, and in doing so it pulls in
le door up behind her. She is trapped.
The bird will then 90 into the nest or of
Iner section and deposit her egg When iol
le has performed this function she will
rain come out into the outer section. wi
I'd not being able to free herself, will ne
ave to be liberated by the keeper who
IN then take her band number and reg an