Saturday, December 13, 2008

How To Incubate Hatching Eggs The Simple Way

Chickenauctions.com

When attempting to begin hatching eggs using the incubation method, it is necessary to first be certain you have attained the highest quality eggs available. Some tips to consider when gathering the eggs desired for incubating are as follows:

- avoid eggs that are either extremely large or small
malformed eggs should not be used
- check for thin or cracked shells, as these should be avoided as well.
try to keep a variety of eggs that are non-related (sister, brother, etc.)
do not wipe or rub the eggs prior to incubation, this wipes germs into the shell through the pores.
- start with the cleanest eggs possible

Once you have taken the advice listed above, you are ready to begin readying your eggs for the incubation period. Since the embryo is starting to develop at an early stage, the right care is necessary and important. Gathering eggs on a daily schedule is advised, starting with three times daily unless the outside temperatures rise above 85 degrees. If this occurs, gathering the eggs should be done at least five times daily.

Deciding on the best incubator is an important step in caring for the eggs, and knowing what the basic types are will aid you in your choice. The most common types of incubators are forced air and still air. The smaller of the two incubators is the still air incubator and it will have no fan for air circulation. An entry base allows for fresh air to come in once the rise and escape warmed air process is finished. The larger and better style incubator is the forced air style that will include a fan to circulate the air inside. These can vary in size from large to industrial and the proper temperatures for the best hatching conditions vary between the two models.

When you use a forced air incubator the recommended temperature is 100 degrees F . If this temperature is not followed or rises and lowers during the incubation period, chances are the eggs will be ruined and will not hatch. The incorrect temperature is the most common cause of poorly hatched eggs. Some other common reasons for not hatching are poor sanitation, lack of ventilation and neglectful egg turning.

The still air incubator requires an internal temperature of 102 degrees F for good hatching conditions. Because this temperature is higher, it makes it necessary for frequent temperature checks, and the use of only the best thermometers. The control of the humidity is important during the incubation process, and is an extremely important factor in the eggs development. Should the humidity be too high or too low, proper formation of the shell and thus the embryo is not possible and will also result in poor hatching.

Right along with the temperature being an important factor, so is the oxygen supply. Proper amounts of oxygen for the embryo's growth and development is necessary as well as turning of the eggs. A good oxygen flow should be made available, especially in still air incubators without it affecting the temperature. Following this process is the turning habits. In the still air incubator, this is done manually and requires a steady and gentle hand and is necessary four to six times a day. In a forced air incubator, this will be done automatically, but will still require monitoring.

An online auction site, where it is FREE to buy or sell anything from real estate to chickens. It was started by my daughter and I, to give people a place to display their birds.
Stop by and register for free at my website, which is at http://www.chickenauctions.com

Tips To Help you Stop Dog Barking

You just got a new dog. Your excited about it and have decided on a name. Now that you have it home you have to train it. One of the first problems most dog owners have is teaching their dog when it is okay to bark and when it is not okay to bark. This article will take a look at a few ways you can get this started quickly.

Positive reinforcement is the first thing you have to make your dog understand. When it doesn't bark upon your request it will be rewarded with a treat. If your dog does not obey your command then you will not give it a treat.

Is there a reason your dog is doing all that barking? This is one of the first questions you must ask yourself. If you know why your dog is barking you can train it much more easily. Is your dog just bored? Is your dog lonely? Are your neighbors teasing it while he is outside? Find out the reason for your dogs barking and then address the cause of your dogs barking.

Assign a command you want your dog to respond to and only use this command for when your dog is barking. For example, you could say “No Bark”. You should give your dog a behavior to go along with that command. You may want your dog to sit or go lay down upon your command.

The third tip is to crate train your dog. The crate can be used to put your dog in if he doesn't obey your command. This is a great way to hadle things if your dog barks at people who come to the door. Howver this isn.

One of the most important things you need to decide is how you want your dog to respond. Some people hate it when their dog barks at someone who rings the doorbell. But how bad really is that? Your dog is simply trying to warn you. You may want to allow your dog to bark three times and then respond a certain way. For example, have your dog bark three times and come get you to let you know someone is at the door.

The final tip is to give a stop barking collar a go if nothing is working on your dog. Shock collars are not as bad as most people think they are because you do have some control over the amount of shock. You don't have to limit yourself just those types of collars you do have other options available to you.

Teaching your dog how to stop barking isn't going to be easy. But now is the time to get started before your dogs barking becomes a real problem. So, put a few of these stop dog barking techniques to good use before things do get worse.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Easily Build a Chicken Pen

Chickenauctions.com

Before purchasing the chickens you want, it will be necessary to have cages or coops to keep them in. These are not necessarily difficult to build, but must follow certain guidelines to be useful. If you are planning on building your own chicken coop, with the proper supplies and materials you can have an excellent coop built in very little time.

Choosing the best location is a necessary factor in egg production, warmth, and over all presentation. If you live in a heavily populated area, you may want to consider the appearance of your pen. Although it is not a law, it is common courtesy to make it look presentable so as not to cause hard feelings between you and your neighbors. You do not have to let their likes and dislikes dictate the type and form of your coop, but as far as the smell and outward appearance, it should be made to be presentable. A backyard shed or small garden house makes great chicken housing, but building your own is the only way to make sure you get what you want.

The type of housing you decide on is dependant on your surroundings as well. The predators where you live, either domestic or wild, should not be able to access the chickens in their housing. The kinds of predators you have in your area will determine whether you will be able to free range chickens or whether they must be kept in an enclosed area not just for their protection, but also to keep them from wandering.

An ideal coop allows for 4 to 4.5 square feet of space per chicken kept, meaning the more birds you intend to raise, the bigger your coop will need to be. Try to determine whether or not you will be expanding in the future or whether you intend to simply raise a few at a time. If you plan on expanding your chicken holdings, it may be necessary to build a large building from the start and section it off to allow for future expansion, rather than be forced to put off expansion plans until the coop is built to specifications.

Most domestic chicken coops are mainly small in their keep and do not include plans for building a feeding and watering system into the building, but it is possible. difficult but possible. Most chicken farmers opt for store purchased feeding and watering systems that are made available at most feed stores, and can be ordered at those that do not carry them. View all your options before settling on any one system.

Allow for ample room for a full sized adult to move around in the coop for cleaning and egg gathering purposes as well as proper ventilation for the chickens. Keeping the floor covered with at least four inches of suitable covering (Hay, wood shavings, corn husks etc.) ensures cleanliness and keeps the chickens from ingesting their own droppings. Whether or not you build an enclosed area or simply allow them to roam free, the chickens will need plenty of room to scratch and dig for bugs. The best amount to have is approximately twice the size of the pen.

Whichever design or style you decide on should work the best for you and the chickens you will be housing and enable you to keep them safe, healthy and warm when necessary.

An online auction site, where it is FREE to buy or sell anything from real estate to chickens. It was started by my daughter and I, to give people a place to display their birds.
Stop by and register for free at my website, which is at http://www.chickenauctions.com

Exotic Pet Insurance - What Is It And How Does It Work?

Pet Insurance

The purpose of exotic pet insurance is to be sure that the health needs of an exotic animal will be met, without placing financial stress on the owner. In many instances, exotic pets tend to be more susceptible to illness and some breeds are considered to be more fragile, health-wise, as opposed to the more typical types of household pets.

The care for exotic pets is also more expensive, as some of these animals require a veterinarian with specialized knowledge and skills in order to properly care for the them. This is one reason why many owners of such animals seek out insurance. Some have even declared that they would never again be without such coverage because of the amount of money that they have saved due to unexpected veterinary pet bills.

Recent studies have reported that approximately 40% of all reptile owners have needed to take their pet in for an unplanned veterinarian visit at some point during the previous two years. The study went on to report that over one third of these cases ended up requiring three or more veterinary office visits during that same time frame. This is just one example of how pet insurance for exotic creatures is very beneficial, because for some people, such a level of care would not be affordable.

One of the common misconceptions about exotic pet insurance is that it only covers health related costs, such as veterinarian fees and prescriptions. However, most of the insurance policies for exotic pet coverage will provide for many additional benefits as well. Much of what is covered will depend on the type of coverage you choose and the cost of such coverage and how it fits within your own budget constraints.

Of course, the primary benefit of all pet insurance is the pet health insurance aspect. This is the section of the coverage that will end up paying for veterinary pet visits, yearly checkups, health screenings, vaccinations as well as booster shots as required. Some of the policies will completely cover all of these costs. Other types of policies will only cover emergency types of care, such as surgery due to an accident. There are various policies that need you to make a minimum copayment for every visit to the vet, while there are others that totally cover these types of costs. Each of these variations, in addition to an annual deductible, will affect the cost of the insurance premium that you'll pay.

In addition to covering veterinary expenses, insurance policies for an exotic creature can also cover thievery, in case it is stolen. If you own a very valuable exotic pet, it is strongly advised by experts that you carry this type of insurance in addition to the pet health insurance coverage. You will want to be sure that the policy you choose provides for sufficient replacement coverage in the event of a theft.

Insurance can also provide coverage in the event of death of the exotic animals because of fire, natural disaster, accident, injury or illness. For owners who have invested a great deal of money in acquiring an out-of-the-ordinary kind of pet, this type of pet plan can help to offset the cost of replacement. Most policies will cover the value of the purchase price of the pet and some will even cover the needed vaccinations that were required. Of course, such coverage cannot compensate for the value of the relationship that has been developed with the beloved exotic creature, but it can minimize the financial impact of such a loss.

Most of the policies for exotic pet insurance coverage are written either for a one year period or are written as a lifetime policy. In general, a yearly pet plan is more budget friendly but it can also be riskier. There is added risk because they often provide lower coverage limits and there is also the potential that the pet insurance company could decide not to renew coverage, based on developing health problems with the pet or because of advanced age.

To find out additional information head on over to Pet Insurance also head on over to Mature Pet Insurance and more information at Pet Liability Insurance

The Lowdown On Artemis Dog Food

Artemis dog food aims to provide a holistic approach to pet food, and they are dedicated to providing not only healthy pet food but also promoting a whole life approach to caring for animals. If you are really interested in your dog’s health and nutrition and want to make sure they are getting the best possible food, then Artemis dog food is going to be a great choice.

Artemis understand that a healthy lifestyle begins with nutrition and this is why they have created dog foods that help balance all of the necessary proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, resulting in a food that is greater than the sum of its parts. Their products were all developed with the idea that prevention is the best cure and because of this they have really gone the extra mile by incorporating fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as a variety of herbs and digestive enzymes.

There are many reasons why Artemis remains a popular brand of dog food, and if you are considering switching your own dog to Artemis dog food but are not quite sure, you are first going to want to learn about the different products you can choose from. 

It is important to realize that dog food is not the only important aspect to your dog’s health. You also need to make sure that they are getting lots of regular exercise and of course a whole lot of love. Your dog is another member of your family and if you want them to have the happiest and longest life, you will want to take the best care of them that you can.

Research is currently being undertaken on the best dog care while enjoying cheap family holidays and family holidays where you may or may not take your canine friend with you. 

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Stop Dog Barking

One of the worst problems dog owners have is teaching their dogs to stop barking for no reason. Constant barking is a problem that will get under your skin and will only get worse as your dog gets older. In fact, some adult dogs are almost impossible to train once this has become a habit. The real key here is to get your dog trained before the barking becomes a bad habit.

In this article were going to take a look at some of the things that you can do to control dog barking.

The first step to learning how to stop dog barking is finding out why your dog is barking. This isn't always as obvious as you might think. You might have a nasty neighbor who likes to tease your dog. Many dog owners do not even know that their dog is barking all the time when they are gone. There may be some neighbors kids who walk by everyday and throw stones and scream at your dog. There are times when you will have to think outside the box.

Once you know what is causing your dog to bark you can go about training your dog. There are some cases where training won't even be needed. For the examples above you would need to move your dog inside to stop your annoying neighbors from bothering your dog.

Another very common reason dogs bark is out of boredom. This is often when your dog just keeps barking and barking for no apparent reason. When your dog is like this try taking it for a walk. If the dog is still barking when you come back, then you may have a different problem all together.

If your are really stuck with this barking problem you may want to consider some devices or collars. Allot of people hate shock collars, but they can be very effective for some dogs. The key is to use them correctly. A good option is to look for a collar that lets you play around with the shock settings. This makes sure that your dog will not be harmed in anyway.

Do remember to start your training with defining why your dog is barking first. This will make the training of your dog much easier. Allot of dog owner have little understanding as to why their dog is always barking. This can often lead to a frustrated dog owner and frustrated dog too. Yes, the barking could be as much of a problem for your as it is for you.

Puppy Potty Training Should Be A Fun Activity, Rather Than An Unpleasant Chore

Effective puppy potty training should be begun as soon as you feel that your pet is old enough to understand a few elementary commands. A puppy is not like an infant that requires using a potty in order to make him understand where to eliminate. It actually only requires that you teach your young puppy that he must eliminate in a designated spot within your home or understand that he must go outside to ease him and to not use any other part of the home for the purpose.

Form Close Bonds

It is not recommended that you think of the puppy potty training exercise as a chore and something that is messy and unpleasant; instead, you should consider puppy potty training to be an excellent opportunity for you to form close bonds with your pet which hopefully will further develop into a healthy and mutually. The best gift that your puppy can give you is to show that he has learnt where to do his business.

You should not wait before starting the puppy potty training exercise and so, as soon as your pet becomes the newest member of your home, you must then get started with teaching him where to eliminate. However, be prepared to put up with the fact that at a young and tender age the puppy won’t always be able to control his bladder as well as bowel functions. Accidents will occur and these you must learn to tolerate.

Another notable aspect to proper puppy potty training is to remember and feed your pet at fixed times every day and to avoid feeding him within four hours of his bedtime and to not let him drink water about two hours prior to his bedtime. Setting an established routine for him to follow is recommended and it also means that you too must also rise and up and sleep at times that will reinforce your puppy’s potty training regimen.

When your puppy wakes up in the morning you need to take him out for about fifteen minutes and do the same after each meal that he takes and also once before he turns in for the night. It is also not wise to play with him till after he has gone out and eliminated.

Housebreaking your puppy is an essential part of puppy training and in this regard you should search for every available puppy training tip to help ensure that you have greatest chance of succeeding in housebreaking your pet and to also ensure that he learns how to be well behaved as well.

Sometimes your puppy may not eliminate when you take him out. In such instances you should wait for fifteen minutes before taking him out again to try again. Once he does his business, you should lavish praise on him and perhaps even give him a small treat to reinforce the training.

For more about puppies please visit www.puppycareblog.com