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BE CREATIVE

Only those who are creative will be progressive to take advantage of pressing situation.

Every living Man remained the creature that is gifted to be creative. Being creative is a gift of nature in every human, pressing situation are great tools that make you to be creative. You cannot be creative outside  or without the pressure of situations. 
Challenging situations gives the heart a required pressure which will make the mind  to influence you to take decisive step to do what others consider impossible.
You cannot achieve greatness outside what you do with pressure and pressing situation.
God expect you to be creative so as to commandant respect and enjoy. You are not qualified to enjoy what you fail or refuse to create accordingly.
How  well you are responsible to maximize the creative abilities in you will  determines the capacity you are going to have so as enforce great or desired change despite challenges.
It takes creative instinct to discover opportunities that  comes with challenges. You cannot be better than your creative ability. Wisdom is expressed by the order of creativity.
Knowledge and understanding are gift of creative insight. No matter what happens to you in life, you are formed to create solution to problems . All what happens to you remained situation which you need to create what you desire in order to make great change in your life, Always remember that you are a creator in a creative. 

HOW TO RAISE CHICKEN SUCCESSFULLY AS A BEGGINNER

Raising Chicken is profitable, fun and also disastrous if you don't  know or have knowledge of how to go about it, 
In this post , I will give out information about what you should know before getting that your first chicken.
Many  people get their chickens from a feed store, or by direct mail from a hatchery. This means you will start with young chicks. There are special things that chicks need in order to survive. You will basically have to be the “chicken mother” for these little chicks until they are old enough to fend for themselves. There are several things you should have lined out before you even get the chicks.

These are what you will need.

1. Set up a brooder – this is some sort of box/container that will house and contain the chicks. I use a plastic for the really young ones, then move to a larger, wire brooder when the chicks get old enough. It doesn’t really matter as long as it gives them enough room, and can be easily cleaned.

The most important part of your brooder is warmth. Small chicks will die quickly if they chill. They are too small to regulate their own body temperature, and even “room temperature” is lethal. They will get better at temperature regulation and require less added heat as they grow, but it is critical. Most people use one of those infrared heat lamps for warmth. While they do work, they are very dangerous. They get extremely hot. If you have it too close to the chicks, it will overheat them. If the bulb breaks or falls down, it can easily start a fire (many chickens have burned to death from this). I have switched to a heating plate. They do cost a little more money, but they are lower heat, provide a place for chicks to ‘hide’, and allow the chick to control how hot or cold it gets by simply how close it gets to it. Do not use a blanket, chicks don’t generate enough of their own heat. They must have a radiant heat source.

2. The next most important thing is water. If they are day-old chicks from a hatchery, they have never eaten or taken a drink. They likely will not understand what food and water is by sight alone. Chicks with a real ‘chicken momma’ will be shown what water is and will be shown what food is. The chicks would learn by example and be able to eat/drink. Since you are their ‘chicken momma’, you will need to teach them. Giving them water before feed will help prevent “pasty butt” (yes, that is what it’s called, more on that later). To teach a day-old chick how to drink, put your drinker in the brooder with them, and then one at a time, dip each chick’s beak into the water. The chick’s instinct will kick in, they will realize it’s water and something they need, and will now know where it is and what it looks like. They should be able to drink on their own from then on out. Any that didn’t get it the first time will learn by watching the other chicks get a drink.

A side-note on drinkers. Chicks can drown in small amounts of water. Chicks who get wet can die from being chilled, even in a heated brooder. Choose a drinker with that in mind. I found a galvanized metal drinker that uses a mason jar as a reservoir. This seems to work well in my brooder. It’s also easy to clean, and you will be cleaning whatever you use often.

3.Food is also important. For young chicks, you will need a starter feed. Make sure whatever you buy says “starter” on it. Some people don’t like ‘medicated’ starter for “gotta be all natural” reasons, but nearly every chicken has or gets coccidiosis parasite, and the medicated starter helps prevent it from being a problem. A quick side-note about feeding your chicken “all natural” stuff; hope that not even the tiniest piece of Styrofoam ever blows within their reach. There is nothing more un-natural than Styrofoam, and chickens eat it like popcorn. No matter what you do, your chickens WILL eat un-natural things, unless you have them in an enclosure that would make the ‘bubble boy’ say, “wow, that’s extreme”. A little medicine when they are young is not going to negatively affect their health or their meat/eggs. Not having the medicine can negatively affect them by allowing the coccidiosis parasite to grow, causing symptoms (which include death). Choose a feeder wisely. You have seen chickens scratching at the ground. This is an instinct that is present even in day-old chicks. If you put it in a flat dish, the feed will be quickly scattered everywhere, including in the water. I have found a galvanized feeder that uses a mason jar as a reservoir. It has several round openings that allow the chicks to peck at the feed without allowing them to ‘scratch’ at it. The feed still gets a little messy, but it does a pretty good job 

4..Your brooder must protect your chicks from dangers. These include predators (your cat, dog, birds, snakes, etc…). It must protect them from your children. It must protect them from anything that will intentionally or unintentionally harm them.

5. Get used to poop. You will deal with it daily. Keep your brooder clean. Some people put down pine shavings as bedding, some put down newspaper. Whatever you use, be sure to change it often. Daily is best. You will need a separate, temporary brooder to put the chicks in while you clean.

Speaking of poop, read up on “pasty butt”. You will find a lot of information on it on the internet. It is a common affliction in young chicks. It can start fast, and kill the chick in less than a day. Examine every chick a couple times a day for the first few weeks to make sure you catch any cases early. The sooner you fix it, the better chance the chick has of surviving. The older the chicks are, the less likely they will get pasty butt. Having your day-old chicks drink lukewarm water before you feed for the first time helps prevent it. If you bought your chicks from a feed store, they have already drank water and have eaten.

Grow, baby, grow!​


Most chicks grow quickly. and there growth depends on their breed Different breeds grow at different rates, so if you bought different breeds, you may have birds the same age that are very different sizes. Right now in my brooder, I have three “easter-eggers” (crosses between the Araucana and something else), and three Buff Orpingtons. The Easter-eggers are 21 days old, while the Buff Orpingtons are 15 days old. The Easter-eggers are easily 3 times the size of the Buff Orpingtons, and already have a lot more feathers. It’s not just the six days difference, but the breed makes a difference. The Buff Orpingtons are the size the Easter-eggers were when they were 7 days old.


When chicks are born, they are covered with down feathers. It’s appears more like a fuzz than feathers. They will start growing feathers almost immediately, and you will be able to watch their progress. Feathers seem to grow on wings and tails fastest. In about 6 weeks (depending on breed), they will be ‘fully feathered’ by having all their downy feathers replaced by regular feathers. At this point, the chicks can do a much better job at regulating their body temperature and will need little, if any, external heat. They are typically ready to live outside. Since you are reading this as a ‘new’ chicken owner, or a soon-to-be new chicken owner, I’m not going to talk about integrating new birds with existing birds. However, if you do have existing birds, read up on how to integrate them, because it can be lethal.

5.Coops​


So now your chickens are ‘grown’ and ready to live outside. Let’s talk about their new needs.


Their biggest need is a home. You will provide that by either buying or making a chicken coop. There are different schools of thought on how a coop should be constructed, but all theories include a couple common requirements:

Coop must be able to keep out predators

Coop must be free from drafts (breezes that will directly hit the chickens)

Coop must be well ventilated – this confused me at first. How can it be draft-free and well ventilated? Well, when chickens sleep, they poop. A LOT. In their poop is nasty stuff, like ammonia. The heat from their warm bodies will usually cause an up-draft that will take the nasty gasses up with it. A coop needs multiple vents near the ceiling of the coop that will allow these dangerous gasses to escape. Having the vents up high will make sure the only breezes are up high, and don’t reach the chickens on the perches. This makes it draft-free and ventilated.

Coop must have perches

Perches: My personal thoughts on coop requirements include all of the above, but also for perches, use 2x4 lumber, sand it smooth so there are no chances of splinters (this will cause bumble-foot and either you being a surgeon or you taking the bird to a vet). Make sure the 2x4 is ‘flat’, meaning the 4” wide side is the side they stand on. They are not like the tweety birds that like round perches, they are a ground bird that walks on flat ground all day and tend to be more comfortable with their feet on a more flat surface. I have experimented with the 2x4 on its side and ‘flat’. Mine have always preferred ‘flat’. Perches must also be higher than the highest nesting box, or the chickens will perch inside the nesting boxes (this is bad, chickens poop A LOT while they sleep). They want to perch as high as they can. For younger (smaller) birds, it is a good idea to include some type of ramp they can use to reach the perches. My mature hens (and rooster) just jump/fly from the ground up to the perches, which are about 2’ off the ground. None have used the ramp since they were small. Offset the perches to make sure that the sleeping/pooping chickens won’t poop on chickens that are on lower perches.

6. Heat: Do not heat the coop unless you live in truly extreme temperatures and have a breed that can’t handle the cold. Most chicken breeds are cold tolerant, if they can acclimate themselves. Some are not. Where I live, it gets down to -15° in the winter, and up to 108° in the summer. They get used to the cold in the winter and can find shade in the summer. If I heated the coop, and one winter night the power went out, the drastic temperature differences could kill them. Just be sure to read up on the breed of chickens you have (or plan to get) to see how well they can handle the temperatures where you live.

7. Nesting boxes: I also have nesting boxes inside the coop. They say 1 nesting box per 3-6 birds, but I have six boxes and currently 5 hens. They use two of the six boxes. They will stand there clucking at another chicken for 30 minutes waiting to use their favorite nesting box instead of using the one right next to it. Sometimes, they will try to get in the nesting box with the hen, and sometimes they will bully the hen into getting out of the nesting box so they can use it. Chickens are weird.

Ground level coops: I also believe in putting the entire coop off the ground. I custom built my coop. It is 6’X8’ and sits 2’ off the ground on stilts. It is also 8’ tall on the inside. Having the coop off the ground means it is much harder for predators, parasites, mice, etc… to get established. A skunk can burrow. So can a coyote. My coop is built similar in construction to my house. Skunks and coyotes can’t get into my house, and they can’t get in to my coop. Mice don’t like my coop because there are no good hiding spots. They can’t run under the floorboards, because then they drop two feet to the cold ground. I have a wood floor, and I found some cheap linoleum at Lowe’s to cover the floor. This allows me to sweep and mop out the chicken poop.

Chicken run, it’s not just a movie: You will need a ‘run’ for your coop. A ‘run’ is just a fenced off area around the coop the chickens can roam around in. If you plan on always having your chickens locked up, make the absolute biggest possible run you can. There are formulas for minimum space, but I can tell you now, the bigger the space, the happier the chicken. You can get away with the ‘minimum’ if you will free-range your chickens. Free ranging is letting them roam around outside the run. Chickens know where home is and will return to the coop at night in most cases. Free ranging gives you the happiest chickens, but will also give you the most headaches. My chickens like to visit my neighbors. They are also exposed to neighborhood dogs, hawks, coyotes, etc… while they free range. Occasionally, you’ll have one that decides it’s time to hatch out some babies and will find a secret laying spot, causing you to go on an Easter egg hunt. Occasionally, you’ll get some that decide to go rogue, and not roost in the coop. When either of these happen, I just don’t let them out of the run for two days (three nights). It resets where they think they need to sleep and lay, and they are good for a while. This is why you need a run, even the minimum size. When you first put your birds in the coop, do it at night, and set them on their perches. Then, don’t let them free range for at least two more nights. I usually make sure they find their way back to the perches on the second and third nights, and place them there if they didn’t get there themselves. This will set their brains on where ‘home’ is, and they will return to their coop at night.

Food and water: You will need to provide water and feed for them. I don’t have a waterproof feeder, so I have my feeder inside my coop. I am planning on getting a waterproof feeder so I can keep the feed in the run. Feed in the coop invites mice and insects into the coop. I have the water in the run. I let my birds have access to food and water 24/7. They don’t overeat. Since I free range, the feed I give my birds is supplemental. They will forage first, then come eat the feed to top off. Speaking of free-ranging and eating, I mentioned earlier that a chicken will eat Styrofoam. I don’t know why, but they absolutely LOVE it. I have no idea if it is harmful to them, but if you free-range, be sure to do a quick patrol daily for Styrofoam that may have blown into their realm. I get soda cups that have ridden the wind quite often, and I usually find them with little beak-shaped triangle pieces missing from them. Chickens are weird. For feed, be sure you feed them a complete grower feed if they aren’t of laying age, or a complete layer feed if they are. Scratch is not a complete feed and should be used in small amounts only for treats.

Drinkers: Chickens will poop in their water. Chickens are gross. Like I said, I think they might do it on purpose. In any drinker that does not have an actual valve, the poop will not only permeate through the entire drinking area, it will also get into the reservoir. I gave up on the gravity-fed drinkers, because I was having to clean them daily. I now use a 5-gallon bucket with drinking cups at the bottom. The drinking cups have valves that close, and when the valves open, water flows out. This prevents any of the cups with poop to contaminate the rest of the bucket. It also means there are small, individual pools of water, so if one does get pooped in, it only contaminates that cup. I have two styles, one that only releases water when the chicken pushes on a lever in the cup, and one that will keep the cup filled to a certain level. I use the lever ones in the winter, since they take longer to freeze, and the one that fills the cups in the summer so the girls can dip their wattles in the water to help cool off.


Speaking of poop… Whatever you have on the floor of your coop, it needs to be cleaned often. I clean mine weekly, and probably should do it more often. Make sure you have something easily cleaned on your coop floor. Excess poop will attract flies, parasites, and other nasty things you don’t want, like city officials citing you for a nuisance. Many places have restrictions on chickens, so be sure you are aware. My city doesn’t allow a coop to be stinky.

Dust Baths: Chickens use dirt to clean themselves. Yes, it sounds like an oxymoron, but it works. They need dirt to dig up and throw all over themselves. If they free range, they will find a spot, usually exactly where you don't want them to. If you keep them in the run all the time, you will need to provide the dirt for them. The internet has many suggestions on different 'blends' of dirt for dust bathing if you keep them in the run.

All grown up​


So your chickens are full grown, and living in the coop. What now?

Eggs: Once a hen reaches maturity, she will lay eggs. This ‘maturity’ point depends on a lot of things. Many breeds reach that point around 16-20 weeks. Some take longer. My only ‘pet’ chicken didn’t lay until she was closer to 8 months, while all the others were laying by the end of month 5. Laying eggs is natural to your chickens. Laying them in the nesting boxes might not be. You can buy ‘fake’ eggs to put in the nests to give them an example, but usually chickens think golf balls are eggs, so you can use those as fake eggs. Be sure to have some type of padding as nesting materials. Chickens drop the egg from their vent while standing up! They will sit there for about an hour until it’s ready to pop out, then stand up to get it out, then sit on it for several minutes afterwards. If there is a hard bottom to the nest, you will risk the egg cracking. If the egg cracks, the chicken (or other chickens) will eat it. That can lead to a bird being an “egg eater”, which is a habit that is usually only cured by eating the egg eater.

Your chickens do not need a rooster to lay eggs. They will still produce beautiful, tasty, hard-shelled eggs. Your chicken’s breed will determine the color of egg they lay. There is no nutritional or flavor difference between white/brown/blue/green/chocolate eggs or between fertilized/unfertilized eggs. There have been scientific studies about that statement that prove it correct. Many cities do not allow roosters, so it’s a good thing your girls will still produce amazing eggs!

Roosters: If you free range, and are allowed, it is beneficial to have a rooster. A rooster will allow you to hatch your own babies, but the best thing about roosters is their leadership. Roosters live for their hens. If they find amazing food, they will call their hens over to eat it with them. They will help keep the social order of the hens and stop fights between them. One of the best things about a rooster is that he will literally lay down his life in order to protect his hens. He will fight off anything he can, and die trying to fight off anything he can’t. This sacrifice will often allow the hens to escape to safety. This is also the downside to a rooster. A rooster isn’t the best judge of character, so they tend to err on the side of things being a threat. This means that he can mistake you for a threat. It also means he can mistake your kids for a threat. Some roosters are just mean assholes that will attack anything and everything that moves. Some roosters are sweethearts and know you are the one that brings them tasty things he gets to share with his hens. While different breeds have different ‘typical’ rooster temperaments, there are always the ones that stray from typical. You could have an Old English Game Cock (know for aggressiveness) that is a total sweetheart. You could also have a Buff Orpington (known for its gentleness and friendliness to humans) that will try to kill you every chance it gets. However, different breeds are known for their different temperaments for a reason. Study up on different breeds and pick according to your needs. My Buff Orpington rooster keeps his distance from me, but knows I bring treats, food, and water, so he still comes running to see what I have whenever he sees me, always hoping for some grapes! If you get a rooster that is aggressive, there are many theories on how to make them less aggressive, but my theory is there are plenty of gentle roosters, and aggressive roosters taste good.

Roosters are noisy. Occasionally giving a dozen fresh eggs to neighbors will help them be less annoyed with a rooster. There are also “crow collars” that are a specially designed Velcro collar that doesn’t allow them to crow as loudly as normal. There are also more extreme methods to control crowing, but you can find those in a Google search.

The ratio of roosters to hens is subject to debate. I believe it depends on what your goals for the roosters are. If you are planning on breeding, a rooster can only copulate with so many hens. Too high of a ratio means a greater chance of infertile eggs. Having too many roosters in a flock means too many fights for dominance. Be sure to read up on the different thought processes about the number of roosters to decide how many you should have.

7.Predators​


Chicken. It’s what’s for dinner. Wait, that’s from the beef council, but it is more accurate with chickens. ANYTHING that is a carnivore or omnivore will eat a chicken and be happy to have eaten it. This does include other chickens! Coyotes, dogs, cats, skunks, minx, foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, owls, eagles, goats, sheep, horses, and maybe even aggressive squirrels, just to name a small number of things that like to eat chicken. I’m serious about the goats, sheep and horses. I’ve seen videos of it! When you build your coop and run, be sure to consider what might want to eat your chickens. I laid down ¼” hardware cloth under the ground of my run, followed by a 4’ high fence of hardware cloth with a 3’ high section of 1” chicken wire above it making 7’ high sides, topped off with a ceiling of 1” chicken wire. My posts are close together, and all sections of fence are wired together. The floor hardware cloth is wired to the sides, the side hardware cloth is wired to the top layer of chicken wire, and the ceiling chicken wire is wired to the sides. I have MANY neighbors who don’t follow leash laws, so I get their dogs in my yard. I also am on the very edge of town, which means that I get deer, elk, coyotes, skunks, foxes, more coyotes, hawks, eagles, coyotes, owls, and to top it all off, coyotes in my back yard on a daily basis. I frequently get bobcats. Bears and mountain lions have been seen in my neighborhood. I built a run and coop that would hopefully protect them from most of those predators, although it would take a lot to stop a hungry bear.


8. Injury​


You’ve built a strong coop and run. You have a rooster to protect your hens. You do everything right, so nothing is going to happen to your chickens, right? Wrong. If you own chickens, you will eventually deal with an injury or illness. If you have chickens, injuries and illnesses are as inevitable as chicken poop. It will happen, and usually at the least convenient times. There will be predator attacks, bumble foot, pecking injuries, respiratory infections, fowl pox, avian influenza, scorpion stings, and a multitude of other issues. When these happen, you need to act quickly to give your chicken the best chance of survival, or to humanely end its suffering.

Many issues can be effectively treated if caught in time. Pay attention to your flock. If something seems “off”, it probably is. Chickens will naturally try to hide any injury or illness from not only you, but the flock. Chickens are ruthless. For example, an open wound on a chicken will draw the attention of the rest of the flock, who will then peck at it until they have killed the injured bird. This means they are hiding injuries and illnesses to save their own lives. If you suspect anything at all, investigate.

If something happens, and you are fortunate enough to be able to afford a vet visit, and you are fortunate enough to find a vet that treats chickens, lucky you. The rest of us will have to deal with the injury or illness ourselves. There are chicken medical books. There are websites for chicken owners. There are Facebook groups for chicken owners. There are many resources you can use to help diagnose and treat your chicken’s ailments. Use them. Find them in advance, so you don’t have to try to find them in a chicken emergency. I have found collective knowledge of online chicken groups to be very thorough. Other chicken raisers can help you figure out what you’re up against and give you advice on what to do.

9. Pecking Order​


You’ve heard of the “pecking order”. It comes from chickens. There is a status hierarchy even if there are just two chickens. One chicken is always ‘the boss’. That chicken will peck any other chicken that does anything to displease them. The second in line will peck any other chicken, except the boss. The next will peck any below it, but none above. All the way down to the chicken at the bottom of the pecking order, who doesn’t peck anyone, but gets pecked by all. This pecking order is the basis of the entire chicken social order and determines everything from who eats first to where they sleep at night.

If chickens are raised together from a young age, this pecking order is figured out very early and only makes minor changes throughout the flock’s life. Once in a while, a bird will realize it doesn’t want to be pecked by a certain bird, and will be aggressive enough with that bird to re-arrange the pecking order. This usually involves minor incidences. However, there are times big incidences occur, and there are times the pecking order becomes lethal.

Every rooster wants to be the top of the pecking order. If you have one, it usually ends up at the top. If you have two, you will have conflict. Like most animals, males will occasionally challenge for dominance. A young rooster will challenge the flock leader for leadership. This isn’t a one-fight-and-it’s-over challenge either. It generally takes a war between them, until the weaker rooster is finally convinced he cannot win. Want to know who the top rooster is? It’s the one that crows first.

The pecking order can become very lethal. This generally happens when you introduce new birds to your flock. Chickens are said to be the closest living thing to a tyrannosaurus rex, and you’ll believe it when you introduce new flock members. For one, chickens don’t like outsiders. Any bird you introduce will be an outsider for quite a while. The established birds will want to run this chicken off or kill it if they can’t run it off. Once the bird is finally accepted as part of the flock, its pecking order will have to be established, and that can be dangerous as well. There are many opinions on introducing new birds to a flock, so be sure you research and come up with a plan before you attempt it. One thing everyone can agree on is not to just chuck new birds in with established birds. It takes preparation and time to successfully introduce new members to the flock.

Speaking of adding birds. It does not matter if they are babies. Chickens ONLY have a maternal instinct for chicks they have personally hatched. It does not matter if they are that hen’s biological babies you hatched in an incubator, if she didn’t sit on it until it busted free from its shell, she will not think of it as hers. If you throw a baby in with hens, the hens WILL kill it… quickly. Having said that, there are tricks you can use, but it involves a broody hen and very, very young chicks. Even then, she may kill the chicks.


The pecking order is brutal. You must let it happen, and only interfere if blood is drawn. Otherwise, you will extend the process and likely make it more violent. Provide places for birds to hide. Provide multiple feeders and waterers. This will allow birds to escape and hide, and sneak a quick bite and drink during this process.

10. Separation​


Be very careful separating flock members. If a chicken is separate from the flock for more than a couple days, the flock will view them as an outsider. This means fights, pecking order re-establishment, and possibly death. Sometimes it’s required to separate a bird in order to treat it. If it’s not a contagious disease you are treating, be sure to let that bird be seen by the flock daily. I have a wire dog crate I will put an injured bird in so she can be ‘with’ the flock, without the flock pecking at her injuries. This makes sure she is kept as a member of the flock. If separation is required (contagious diseases), you will have to reintroduce the bird just as if it’s a bird the flock has never seen before.

Identification​


If you have just a few chickens, identification may not be a problem. It might be easy enough to learn their minor variations in appearance and behavior without some alternative identification method. However, if you have a multiple of the same breeds, identification gets much harder. I had two chickens of the same breed. One was already a hen, the other I raised from a chick. For the longest time, it was easy to tell them apart. The younger one was smaller. Then, she grew to about the same size, and I had to look at their combs to tell the difference. The younger bird’s comb was much smaller. Now, the pullet has turned into a hen, her comb has grown, and the only way I can tell them apart is their behavioral differences. The younger one is a pet and wants to be picked up. The other does not. If it weren’t for that, it would be extremely difficult to tell them apart. Now imagine having five hens that all look exactly alike. It is very unlikely you will be able to easily tell them apart. It’s a good idea to establish an identification method. There are several available. Toe punching and wing bands involve small, generally harmless injuries to the birds. Toe punching leaves holes in the webbing between the toes as a means of identification. There are 16 different toe punch identities (if you count “no punches” as one), so unless it is used with a secondary method, it is limited. However, toe punches won’t “fall off” and leave you wondering which bird it is. Another method is wing band. This involves a metal band on the wing that pierces the large, thin flap of skin on the wing. The bands can be engraved with all sorts of information. The method I use is leg banding.

There are two types of leg banding I know of. Number banding and color banding. They can be used separately, or together. I just use color banding since my flock is small. There are specifically made leg bands designed for chickens, or you can use zip ties. I use zip ties.

Before you decide to use zip ties, be aware there are dangers with zip ties. In adult birds, zip ties can get hung up on random things, essentially trapping your chicken. I have not had this happen personally, but I have heard others say it has happened to them. In chicks and young chickens, their legs can (and will) outgrow the zip ties. If unmanaged, the leg will grow around the zip tie, causing serious harm to the bird. In fully grown birds, make sure the zip ties are loose, but not too loose. Be sure to check them on at least a monthly basis to make sure they are not a problem. Even if it has not been a problem for a year, still check, because problems can still arise. In chicks, I leave the zip tie very loose. In fact, I put it on loose enough that I could easily slip it off their foot. You don’t have to worry about that happening, because chickens don’t naturally close their toes small enough for it to fall off. You will get a good idea of how loose you can leave it after doing it a few times. The extra room allows the chick to rapidly grow, without its leg growing in to the zip tie. Be sure to check a couple times a week on growing chicks, because their size changes rapidly.

With zip ties, you can use many combinations to identify specific birds. With colored zip ties, you are not just limited to the few colors, you can put two bands on a leg. You can put bands on each leg. You can come up with many different combinations to mean what you want them to mean. For example, every rooster (or cockerel) has a black band on its left leg, and a colored band to show parentage. The right leg is for individual identification. On my hens and pullets, I use the left leg to show parentage, and the right leg to show individual identification. Look around the internet and get ideas of how other people are using leg bands and find a method that makes sense to you

12. Records​

It is very smart to keep records. I keep records of hatch dates, breed, appearance (color), father, mother, name, leg band colors, behavioral instances, injuries, illnesses, eggs laid, temperament, when they go broody, how many eggs they sat on, how many hatched, if I broke their broodiness, identification picture, date of death, and cause of death. I add items I track when I come across things I think I need to track. You don’t have to track all of that, but I would strongly suggest you keep track of approximate hatch date, name, leg band colors, injuries, and illnesses. This will make sure you identify the bird correctly, know their medical history, and how old the bird is. My records allow me to get a bigger picture of a bird and decide if I want to hatch their babies as additions to my flock or not. For example, if I have a hen that lays 6-7 days a week during the summer, and 4-5 a week during the winter, I would rather continue with her offspring than a hen that lays 5-6 days a week during the summer, and 3-4 days a week during the winter (or even stops laying in the winter). Maybe you have a hen that is a spectacular mother, and a hen that can’t raise a brood to save her own life, it would make the flock stronger to hatch babies from the good mother instead of the bad mother. Records allow you to better know your flock and improve your flock, no matter what your goals are.


BENEFITS AND HOW TO RAVISH YOUR SPOUSE



To be ravished is to have a feeling of delight; being filled with wonder and enchantment. So, to ravish your spouse is to give him or her an atmosphere full of passion and fascination. The husband, as well as his wife, has crucial roles to play to enjoy a romantic and successful marriage.

Let begin by knowing these 
 1. ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE
2. BENEFITS OF RAVISHING YOUR SPOUSE

1. ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE

Being a good husband is not something that comes naturally to some men. However, loving another person is the most selfless thing anyone can do. Therefore:

A husband who loves his wife should celebrate her always (Prov.31:28b): be her best friend, appreciate her and share in her feelings 

A good husband should be protective and shield his wife from being disrespected by others

He also respects her opinions, wishes, beliefs and communicates without using abusive words 

He does not force her to give up on her dreams to follow his, rather, they talk things through to see what works for both of them .

The husband should focus on the strength of his wife and talk less about her weaknesses (discuss the grey area and pray together for a change.

Do not lose the romance.  To be romantic, a husband should keep in mind important dates .like wedding anniversary, birthdays, etc..

As a good husband, be humorous and know how to cheer up your wife especially when she feels low and bad.

On the other hand, married women should note this.

To ravish your husband is a divine assignment given to you by God – to be your husband’s helper (Gen.2:18; Prov.12:4).

They should be women of virtue 

To ravish your husband, you must be submissive to him .

As a wife you should be spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and recreationally knitted with your husband .

 You must be caring and able to manage the home well .

Meeting your husband’s sexual needs is vital:, do not ever use sex as a weapon of denial or punishment to your husband.

The husband must be celebrated and honoured as a king: in fact, he is your king.

BENEFITS OF RAVISHING YOURS SPOUSE

When a husband and his wife are knitted, there will be intimacy and mutual trust,  Their love will be unquenchable . There will be joy, peace and progress in the home  It contributes to good health of the spouse.. Without a doubt, God will be present in such a loving home and their prayers will receive quick answers.

Dont forget, Sweeten your relationship with your spouse and the bliss will be long lasting..

 

 

 


(COURTSHIP) INTENTIONAL PREMARITAL RELATIONSHIP

 Studies have shown lots of breakups in premarital relationships because many of the relationships were accidental rather than intentional. Some started the premarital journey (courtship), without purpose, vision, and adequate guidance from God and good counsellors. As a result, the whole experience became moribund.
These are what know and put into consideration before going into that courtship.

COMPOSITION AND 
THE BEENEFITS OF INTENTIONAL PREMARITAL RELATIONSHIP (courtship)

1. THE COMPOSITION

An ideal premarital relationship/courtship should be made up of two full-grown adults (male and female) who have a vision of establishing a home. It should be purposeful and not wishy-washy. There is a goal of marriage in sight, and it should be filled with realistic dreams and not ‘eldorados,  The two of them should take time to build a structure with a good base so they do not major on the minor. The two adults should have a good understanding of each other . It should be deliberate and pure. It should be well planned with full details of how to move from one point to another . It progresses by the day from just seeing each other from a distance to becoming close friends , It should be fun-filled and built on trust.

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2. THE BENEFITS

The following are some of the numerous benefits of an intentional premarital relationship during courtship:

It provides a Solid Marital Foundation: If the relationship is well established or grounded, it will serve as a template for the couple on getting married , As a result, any kind of ‘wind’ does not blow the marriage away .

It makes room for a Direction-Driven relationship: There is a realistic destination in mind. The details of the relationship are known to the two parties involved. They are on the same page .

The relationship will be filled with hope and assurances: It will be devoid of uncertainty and full of realistic expectations and optimism .

A Progressive and Flourishing adventure will be experienced .

There will also be Peace and Joy in the relationship: It is void of struggles because there are only two mature adults with positive mind.

Reason why your Hens not laying eggs

Why are my hens not laying? This are s
ome common causes. When you raise chickens, and you wait patiently for the first egg, months pass, and eggs or your hens suddenly stop laying for no apparent reason. Here are a few reasons why your chicken may not lay eggs or stop laying. 1. Seasons In nature chickens only laid eggs in Spring and into the middle of Summer. The reason for this is because chickens lay eggs to reproduce and during the Spring and Summer months the weather is good and there is more food available, so conditions are perfect for raising chicks. When the days get shorter the hens' bodies sense the change of season and egg production slows down and stops. Humans have been modifying this behavior and have been breeding the most prolific layers to ensure year-round egg production, but given the chance, most hens will still do what nature tells them to. Most hens need a minimum of 14-16 hours of light per day to fool their bodies into thinking it's Spring and keep them in production. This could be either natural or electric light or a combination of both. Adding electric light to the coop will help keep your hens in production, but keep in mind that this could shorten the hen's egg-laying lifespan. Hens are born with a limited amount of egg cells and once those are spent she'll lay no more eggs. If you do decide to add a light have it on in the mornings, so you don't disrupt the hens' natural roosting behavior. You do not need bright light, just enough to read a newspaper by. 2. Stress Stressed hens either lay very strange eggs or no eggs at all. A fright, running out of food and water, disruptions of the pecking order (for example adding a rooster to the flock), and getting moved to a new coop/run all causes stress. When you buy hens and bring them home to a new coop it could take up to 6 weeks before they start laying again. Adding unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) will help your chickens deal better with stress. The ratio is 4-5 tablespoons to a gallon of water. 3. Incorrect Feeding The average laying hen's skeleton contains 20g calcium and one egg represents 10% of that. Hens do have calcium reserves stored up in their bodies, but if they do not get enough calcium from their food for their eggshells the stores will get depleted very quickly and they will stop laying. It's important that laying hens get fed either a proper, balanced layer feed (mash or pellets) or a good quality all flock feed with a calcium supplement like oyster shell offered free choice. It is best to offer layer food "free choice" i.e. have the feeders full at all times, to ensure hens get enough food. Keep in mind that the average hen needs 5 ounces of food and 10 ounces of water to produce 1 egg. Feeding too many treats, table scraps and scratch means the hens will eat less of the food they need, so only feed limited amounts of those. Overfeeding scraps and scratch can also cause the hens to get too fat. Overweight hens don't lay eggs. 4. Molting (Losses of feather) Molting is a natural process that allows hens to replace old, worn feathers by shedding them and growing new ones. It is usually triggered by day length (shorter days), but it can happen any time of the year. A stressful event can trigger it too. Most hens molt once a year, usually overwinter in their second year and it is advisable to let your hens molt in their second year. Regrowing feathers takes us much of the body's resources as egg-laying does, so during a molt, most hens won't lay. A molt usually takes between 2 and 6 months to complete and unfortunately, this process cannot be rushed. Some extra protein in their feed will help the hens a lot during this time. 5. Disease and Parasites Diseases and parasite infestations will cause hens to either lay less or stop laying completely. Good parasite control is important and if a hen shows any sign of disease she should be isolated and treated asap. Some of the most common parasites that can cause a drop in egg production are mites, lice, and fleas, which can be controlled by regularly dusting the hens, their coop and run with a good quality poultry dust. Internal parasites to look out for are roundworms and tapeworms. Deworm the flock every 6 months as a precaution. The withdrawal period for most dewormers is 14 days and the eggs laid during that period should be discarded and should not be incubated. The residue in the eggs causes severely handicapped chicks and most die shortly after hatching. Diseases that influence egg production are fowl pox, coccidiosis, infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, Avian influenza, chronic respiratory infection, fowl cholera, and infectious coryza. Most of these diseases can be controlled by vaccinating the flock and maintaining good hygiene practices. 6. Extremes Temperature Too high or low temperatures also affect egg-laying. In winter aim to keep the temperature in your coop above 55*F and in summer make sure they have plenty of water and shade to help them stay cool. Feed treats like watermelon, make sure the hens have plenty of fresh, cool water to drink, and put a fan in the coop if possible. 7. Broodiness When hens go broody their hormones tell them to stop laying eggs and incubate and hatch them instead. They will sit in the nest box all day and night, refuse to get up, and steal other hens' eggs if given the opportunity. Unwanted broodiness is a nuisance, but there are techniques to "break" them and get them back into production. 8. Age Hens that won't lay can either be too young or too old. The average age of a hen when she starts laying is 6 months. Some smaller breeds like Leghorns, Stars, and Australorps lay sooner and larger breeds like Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks and Orpingtons start later. The first 2 years of a hen's life are her most productive. By the time she's 5 years old, she will only lay half as frequently as she did during her first 2 years. Good egg-laying hens have 2 egg-laying cycles of 50-60 weeks each. After that, there will be a sharp decline in egg production. A good sign of a pullet approaching lay is the color of her comb. If her comb turns a bright red color she's ready. The reason for the color change is to show the rooster that she is ready to start laying fertile eggs. Her pelvis will be wider and if you look at her vent it will be moist and pink. A simple test you can do to check if your hen is laying already. Hold the hen firmly and turn her on her back. Put your fingers on her breast bone and work your way down to her vent area. You should feel 2 bones sticking up. These are her pelvic bones. If you can fit only 1 finger upright between her pelvic bones she's still roughly 4 weeks off laying, 1 and 1/2 fingers mean she's a little closer, 2/3 weeks and 2 or more fingers mean she's either close to or laying already. 9. Predators that eat eggs Another reason you are not getting any eggs may be predators. Mice, rats, snakes, and some other animals steal eggs, so make sure your coop and run is predator-proof. 10. Free-ranging problem Free-ranging hens sometimes lay their eggs in secret nests. So your hens may be laying after all, but not where you want them to! If this is the case keep them cooped up for a few days so they will learn to use the nest boxes. Fake eggs or golf balls in the nest boxes will make them more attractive for hens too. 11. Egg eating Hen Many time some Hen eatup their own eggs and youay thinks they didn't lay any egg, If you are not getting any eggs, but you are sure that your hens are laying, you might have an egg eater or two in your flock. Look for signs like yolk smeared on the nest box materials. after you have discovered that you have egg eater hen in your flock, u need to find out what are the causes for the habits and you can then find solutions or stop them from eating their own eggs.

How to maintaining A Healthy and successful, safe free ranging birds

Free ranging of chicken or other birds are the easiest way to raise backyard chicken but you really need the right breeds of birds, the right rooster or dominant hen, the right place, the right perimeter fencing(if is in the town), the right hideouts/duck and cover places, and the right attitude. Right breeds/birds birds that are docile, slow-moving, or fat, used to being picked up in the daytime hours, and have no quick reactions to alarm calls and aerial danger flying overhead are just sitting ducks for hawks. Breeds that are naturally good at free-ranging are most of the heritage lines of birds such as Black Australorps, Cockerel, Rocks of all variations, Rhode Island Reds, Buckeyes, Delawares, Wellies, Doms, Leghorns and any other local chicken in your area . These old-timey breeds make good free-range breeds, even when derived from hatchery sources. There are many breeds out there that still have good foraging and free-range tendencies. Contrary to popular lore and belief, white chicken breeds do not specifically attract aerial predation. Any and all birds I have lost to hawks have been those that were grey with a barred pattern feathers~those birds more close in appearance to the hawk's natural prey. And those birds were ranging and living side by side with many white chickens...I've never lost a white chicken to an aerial predator~I range mostly that color and have done so since the age of 10. Right age for free ranging, The younger you can get them out on free-range, the better, particularly if you have older flock members to show them the ropes. Chicks kept in brooders and houses until they are 4 weeks old and older have grown used to sounds and sights in the house and no longer startle as easily, nor are they conditioned to outside sounds and sights. While they are still little chicks they instinctively react to danger signals of shadows overhead, the call of a hawk, fast-moving animals, etc. The older, house-kept chicks can still learn to adapt but they are 4 wks behind on the learning curve and just the right size for a hawk to snatch and run. I turn out my chicks at 2 wks of age to learn about free-ranging with the older flock and am always amazed at how quickly they react to alarm calls and how quickly they find cover. Try an experiment with your new chicks in the brooder...give them an alarm call as if from a rooster and watch them run for cover! They come out of that shell equipped, so make good use of it before they are big enough to attract aerial preds. Don't hatch out chicks in the fall and then try to free-range them~this I have found out from personal experience. The leaves are gone from the underbrush and trees, hawks are migrating through and are hungry, and juvenile chicks are the perfect size for hawk predation. Keep the chick hatching and subsequent free-ranging to the time when most animals have young on the ground, cover is plentiful, and the hawks are not traveling through but have specific territory and young of their own to protect and feed. This is also the time crows have their young and are way more vigilant than we ever could be...and there's nothing a crow pack hates more than a hawk. They will chase them, pecking them and harassing them until they flee, screaming and going as fast as they can. Right rooster or flock master(can be a hen)~ A good rooster will sound the alarm before you even see the threat and will have trained his flock to listen and act on it. He's worth his weight in gold when it comes to free-range. Most will not fight a dog or other 4 legged predators, but the rare few will stand off a hawk, challenge a hawk or sacrifice themselves for the flock. Mostly they will get the flock to shelter when a pred is in the area. A dominant hen can take over this role if she's the right sort. Right place for free-ranging ~ Areas that have plenty of trees, fence rows, shelters, shrubs, etc. where a bird can run and duck under to avoid the stoop of a hawk. If there is a lack of natural shelters or hides, creating them at convenient distances throughout the range can mean life or death for your chickens. Some use pallets up on blocks, some even use pup tents, trampolines, and tarps over range shelters made from cattle panel hoops. Right fence for free-ranging~ The right fence can and will slow down most canine preds from doing a quick grab and snatch of your birds and also keep your birds contained. They don't usually fly over a fence, they fly to the top of a fence and drop down on the other side, so removing any surface that makes for good landing at the top of your fence is imperative~even if you have a 6 ft. high fence. You can string light wire there above the hard top of the fence/gait to discourage the hop-up or extend the fencing materials above the posts and gates by 6-8 in. Chickens, even adult ones, can regularly roost in trees and barn rafters, so a 6 ft. fence does not mean it is going to stop this behavior. Even clipping wing or wings can sometimes not deter a determined escapee. If you have a good fence and keep your birds contained and you still get a neighbor's dog breaching those defenses, you have a leg to stand on when it comes to the legal aspects. A good looking, cheap and effective way to protect suburban birds from 4 legged preds is a simple electronet poultry fence on a solar charger...you can move it to different areas, you can put it away and use it another day, it lasts up to 10 years with good care, you can place it around your coop and not worry about coons, foxes, possums, etc at night and it will shock the vinegar out of even a black bear...and it will definitely keep the chickens in if you leave it energized. Right attitude~ To free-range, one has to accept the risk of possible loss. If done correctly, those losses are very few...I've lost 4 to aerial preds in the last 10 years or more. Three of those were just this past fall(2014) due to me hatching chicks in the fall, right when the hawks are migrating...bad mistake, never to be repeated. I've lost 1 bird at night because she roosted in the barn loft where the dogs could not defend her and got picked off by an owl. All of these were barred rock pattern birds, 3 were due to human error and poor judgment and one was due to poor judgment by the pullet, which is an acceptable loss to me. Don't need stupid birds out on the range. In other words, she was too dumb to live and so didn't get to do so. All in all, these few losses over many years and many birds free-ranged tell me that free-ranging can be done with minimal loss if done properly. Another important attitude to have is that you are going to do everything possible to avoid predation, not just turn out your chickens to the grass with a kiss for luck~ then cry to all and sundry when it goes wrong, telling anyone who free ranges they are putting their birds at risk and are negligent. (This happens more than you could possibly know...people try it once, the wrong way, and then announce it can't be done safely.) Free-ranging can be done and done well for many years if you have the right system in place that ensures your birds are just as safe as they are in a coop and run...and many, many stories of predation start right there~in a coop and run~so these are not fail-proof places to keep chickens. There really is no such thing as a Ft. Knox coop unless it is, indeed, in the middle of a Ft. Knox gold vault. A black bear or a determined pack of dogs can show you in about 5 min. how safe your coop and runs really are. Chickens in a coop and run are like fish in a barrel to predators and there is no possible escape there...at least out on free-range they have a chance to run, fly, duck, and cover and you may not lose all your birds in one devastating attack. bad behavior and cannot perform commands consistently each and every time, this is a breed that will give you trouble with chickens. I'm not saying it can't be done but you set yourself up for failure from the beginning when you try to manage a headstrong, belligerent dog...and then try to get him to understand that no means no, come back, leave it, etc., when there are live prey running around in front of him. A watch dog is not a livestock/farm dog..a watch dog is supposed to bark when there are intruders. That's it. A livestock dog does that and more...they are watching all potential predators for the livestock and are willing to fight for them and even kill for them, they nurture the young livestock and interact with the elders. They sleep and eat with them and will even lick them when they are wounded, will get agitated if they think they are being hurt, and will even break up fights between members of a flock.

SUICIDE ? ANTIDOTES TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND ATTEMPTS

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death or deliberately killing one’s self. Research shows that approximately 90% of people who have died by suicide were suffering from a mental illness at the time. The most common mental illness reported is depression. Also, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-up or chronic pain and illness. In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and so on), discrimination or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour. Intense sadness and/or hopelessness; not caring about activities that used to matter; withdrawal from family, friends, sports and social activities; substance (drug, alcohol) abuse are some of the common signs of suicide .

 THESE ARE BIBLICAL VIEW OF SUICIDE

The Bible views suicide as equal to murder (self-murder). God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die. We should say with the Psalmist, “My times are in thy hand…” (Psalm 31:15). God is the giver of life. He gives, and He takes away (Job 1:21). The Bible mentions six specific people who committed suicide: Abimelech (Judges 9:54), Saul (1 Samuel 31:4), Saul’s armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4-6), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Zimri (1 Kings.16:18) and Judas (Matthew 27:5).

Suicide,is the taking of one’s own life, is ungodly because it rejects God’s gift of life. No one should presume to take God’s authority upon them to end his or her own life. Some people in Scripture felt deep despair in life. Solomon, in his pursuit of pleasure, reached the point where he “hated life” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). Elijah was fearful and depressed and yearned for death (1 Kings.19:4). Jonah was so angry at God that he wished to die (John.4:8). Even the apostle Paul and his missionary companions at one point were under great pressure that resulted in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8).

However, none of these men committed suicide. Solomon learned to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Elijah was comforted by an angel, allowed to rest, and given a new commission (1 Kings.19:5,15). Jonah received admonition and rebuke from God (John.4:1-3,8-11). Paul learned that, although the pressure he faced was beyond his ability to endure, the Lord can bear all things (2 Corinthians 1:9).

ANTIDOTES TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS/ATTEMPTS

According to the Bible, suicide is a sin (Ex.20:13). Therefore, if you or anyone around you expresses suicidal thoughts or exhibits self-harming behaviours, seek pastoral and professional help. In addition, the following steps may help to rescue anyone having suicidal thoughts.

Take a few moments to consider letting God prove His love to you (Romans 5:5).

Know that Jesus identifies with you in your time of rejection and humiliation (Isaiah 53:2-6).

Jesus Christ endured suffering and shame so that you might have all your sins forgiven and your weight of guilt removed (Romans 5:7-8; Romans 8:32).

Know that Jesus will forgive and repair your brokenness and restore your joy if you humbly receive Him as your Saviour (Isaiah 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Be assured that Jesus will always come to your rescue whenever you are in trouble if only you cry to or call upon Him (Psalm 61:1-2; Jeremiah 33:3; Psalm 50:15).
According to the Bible, suicide is a sin (Exodus 20:13). Therefore, if you or anyone around you expresses suicidal thoughts or exhibits self-harming behaviours, seek pastoral and professional help. In addition, the following steps may help to rescue anyone having suicidal thoughts.

Take a few moments to consider letting God prove His love to you (Romans 5:5).

Know that Jesus identifies with you in your time of rejection and humiliation (Isaiah 53:2-6).

Know that Jesus will forgive you and repair your brokenness and restore your joy if you humbly receive Him as your Saviour (Isaiah 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

MEN LOVE WITH THEIR MIND, WHY ?

Despite friendship and relationship, a man cannot love without his mind. Men are designed to love with their mind. A man you yet to know h...