Cattle

Posts Tagged ‘box’

There are a number of factors involved when considering your chickens’ health and your chicken coop plans are an integral part of keeping them healthy.  For the most part, chickens will take care of themselves, but they do need to be checked on regularly the make sure the basic necessities and temperature are taken care of.<p>

Chickens produce the best when they are clean, safe and happy. Having automatic water, that is well placed, would be ideal, although not necessary and placing the food at the right height for feeding will help with the mess (chickens will put their feet up on, or in, the food if not set up high enough and create a large mess on the floor with the droppings).  <p>
 

By supplying electricity you create not only warmth but adequate light in the winter months so that your hens continue to produce the eggs that you want more consistently.  Lighting is also key if you are considering raising chicks.  They will need extra attention and lots of additional warmth in the winter.

Adequate ventilation, without being drafty, is a must for the health of the chickens as well.  You need to keep it ventilated to remove the methane from the droppings while keeping it from being drafty and getting your chickens sick.  Insulation is also very important in certain climates.  Chickens are very similar to humans in these respects. 

Also include a chicken door and ramp to enter, enough perches for your chickens as well as nesting boxes and easy cleaning, when you are choosing from the chicken coop plans. This will help you keep the smell to a minimum, save yourself time and keep your chickens healthy.

Have you moved into a new house and felt a bit lost? You’re glad to be there, but it’s all new and different and a little stressful. Bringing a new cat home for the first time can be stressful for your cat as well as for your family. The cat is surrounded by all new things, all new people. There are strange smells and sounds and maybe strange new animals. You and your family don’t know how the cat will take to your home and aren’t sure if they should try to pick it up, try to play with it, or let it wander for a while. You want to do what’s best for your cat from the start so that you don’t have problems in behavior later on. There are some tips to making sure that the process is less frightening for everyone.

Think about that first day in your new home and empathize with your cat. Take things slow. Your children will be all excited about this new pet and will want to play, but remind them that the cat is nervous as they sometimes are in a new situation. If they scare him, it might take longer for the cat to trust them. It helps if you have prepared your house before bringing your pet home. Have a room set aside where you can put his litter box. A bed, food and water should be in another part of the room and he should feel free to roam without being disturbed by children or other pets. Give him at least a half hour alone before checking to see that he’s OK. Go in and check again from time to time so that he gets used to you, but don’t force him to get too close just yet. Spend a few days increasing the time you spend in the room and gradually start to approach him or sit on the floor and let him come to you. You will gain his confidence by getting down to his level, making yourself smaller, and not looking him in the eye. Gradually add a toy or some string and let him decide when it’s time to play.

After your cat is comfortable around you, you can add other family members. Other pets should only be brought in after Kitty has bonded with you and should always include your supervision. After three or four days, once you’re sure the cat is secure and happy to be touched and stroked by you and your family, you can you begin to give your cat freedom to enter the rest of the house. Let your cat take it at his own pace and be sure he has access to “his” room if he needs to have some time away from everyone. Cats will usually adapt quickly to their new home but some will take a little longer. A lot will depend on their last experience. It’s important to let your cat take his time and gain confidence at first even though it may seem slow. You need to let your cat trust you and feel safe in his new environment so that he can be secure and happy. Once that bond is established you will have a lifetime of companionship for you, your cat, and your family.

The selection of vigorous breeding duck stock is essential. Breeder ducks are selected from the earliest hatches of the year, with the initial selection being made when the birds are about 8 weeks old. A final selection is made before they are placed in the breeder pens. Breeders should be uniform in size and at the approximate weight range for the breed used, having a full breast, deep keel, long back with good width between the legs. In making the selection, it is a good idea to walk the birds for several hundred yards. Eliminate those that have difficulty walking at a reasonable speed.

Breeder ducks are most profitable during their first laying year. However, they can be used successfully for 4 or 5 years. In backyard flocks it would be more desirable to keep ducks for several years.

Five to eight ducks can be matted to each drake. In colder weather, limit the number of ducks per drake to five. In warmer weather increase it to eight.

Drakes may be determined by their larger size, higher-pitched voices and more erect carriage than ducks. Ducks have a distinct ‘quack’, drakes do not ‘quack’.

In handling ducks, pick them up by the next rather than by the legs, which are easily broken.

Breeder ducks require very little equipment for their care. For farm flocks, a shed or colony brooder house is satisfactory. Provide 5 sq ft of floor space per bird in the house.

Dirt floors may be used in building if the soil is light and sandy, but concrete floors are recommended as they are easily cleaned and more sanitary.

Since ducks lay most of their eggs in the morning, confine them in the breeder house until noon, so that all eggs will be laid in the house. Provide nest boxes and place them on the floor where the ducks have easy access to them. Provide one nest box for every five ducks.

Any feed or water equipment that is satisfactory for chickens can be used for ducks. Water troughs should be designed to keep birds out. Otherwise, the water will become filthy and a potential health hazard.

In the first couple of days that the cat comes to the new home is a really happy time. For you, the cat owner, it’s a great chance to start to see and learn what makes your cat special to your family. The cat will also be going through changes as well. There are new things to discover and things to play with and of course new things that they must adjust to as well. There are new surroundings, new household friends and playmates and of course new house rules.

When you plan to pick up your cat, try to set aside time with the new pet.  A Friday evening when you will have the whole week end is a great time.  Maybe when you are starting a vacation and will be at home would be great as well. You will need to help the cat to adjust to the new home, and as such spending quality time these first few days will get it off on the right foot.  The cat will learn to understand you, and you as well will get to know them. Note: Please don’t try to over do it with excitement at first.

When the new kitten first arrives in your home, you might want to keep the noise down low till he gets himself adjusted.  During this time, if you have children, I would highly recommend trying to keep them from running after and/or even trying to grab the kitten. Children screaming are also to be avoided if possible.  Keep in mind the new kitten is just a baby and will scare very easily. I think it is best to just let the kitten explore at his own pace when he wants to nap just let him nap. Cats are very quick learners and you will see that you kitten will adapt very quickly.

Make it easy as possible for the cat to get his food, water, and of course his littler box. You may want to keep the kitten in one room for a start until he gets used to the new house. Then he can explore a little at a time. With patience, love, and understanding, the transition to its new home and family will be a wonderful experience.  

There is more to a new fish tank then just a tank filled with water sitting on a stand in your living room. There is a certain amount of equipment needed such as a heater and filter to keep your fish healthy and happy. With the proper equipment your tank will become a healthy water filled paradise for your tropical fish. Most tropical fish are imported in small boxes which can be quite a shock to their systems. By providing an environment much like their natural environment your fish will thrive and become an active part of your everyday life.

Getting the right type of heater is an important part of setting up your fish tank, unless of course you are just putting gold fish in it. Nearly all tropical fish require a water temperature between 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. They will die if they are kept in water cooler then that for any length of time.

You need to be aware that there are different sized heaters for different sized tanks, make sure you get one that will work for the fish tank you decide to go with. If you get one that’s too small or does not have a high enough voltage rating for your tank it will not be able to adequately heat the amount of water needed. On the flip side if your fish tank heater is to big for your tank you stand a good chance of boiling your fish. If you are unsure of what size heater to get ask some one who works at your local fish store.

The second major piece of equipment you will need is a filter of some sort. A filter keeps the water circulating and helps filter out the ammonia and nitrates that build up in a fish tank. This is particularly true in new tanks which haven’t had a chance to get established with the beneficial bacteria that break down these natural by-products of fish waste. If too much ammonia and nitrate builds up your fish will have trouble breathing and could die. The beneficial bacteria actually build up in the filter system and break down these poisons as the water cycles through the filter.

If you do nothing else when it comes to equipping your new fish tank you need to have at the least a heater and filter. Without these two vital pieces of equipment you will be hard pressed to keep your fish tank warm enough and clean enough to successfully keep healthy happy fish.