Category: Blog (page 2)

How to care for your chickens in winter

They Don’t Need a Heater

People keep asking if they need to put in a heater in the chicken coop for winter warmth. The answer is simply no. They group together for warmth. Furthermore, don’t seal up the coop totally. Ventilation is vital to avoid moisture development.

Utilize Deep Litter to Keep Them Warm

A profound litter method is to simply allow chicken poop and bedding material to build up in the coop over the spring, summer, and fall so that by winter you have approximately a foot of all that material on the floor of the coop. This, in turn, will radiate its very own warmth, thereby keeping the coop warm.

They May Not Lay Unless You Supplement Light

Generally, supplemental light is required in the event that you need to keep your customers or family eggs throughout the entire winter. Nonetheless, there are a few drawbacks to supplementing light – it can get the birds stressed up and affect their laying life. Before doing this, consider the pros and cons.

Feed Them Corn in the Evening to Keep Them Warm All Night

Treating your chickens to a meal of cracked corn before bed gives them something to process all through the night and this keeps them warm. ?

Hang a Head of Cabbage for a Chicken Play Toy

Much the same as people, chickens can get somewhat exhausted and stir-crazy in the winter. My chickens seem to get a bunch of joy when I hang a head of cabbage on a string in the coop. It gives them something to peck at while it flies around.

Make Them a Nice Sunroom

In case you’re stressed over your female birds not having enough space in the coop, you can construct a sort of clear plastic cold frame or nursery style expansion to your coop. They will move into it and have more space on pleasant days, and you can sit back and relax realizing they aren’t too stressed and having a nice time.

Petroleum Jelly on Combs and Wattles Protects from Frostbite

In very cold regions, you may find that breeds with vast wattles and combs are inclined to frostbite. You can cover their wattles and combs with petroleum jelly to protect them.

Chickens Don’t Like Snow

When the temperature drops down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit range, I noticed chickens don’t usually go out in the snow. You can dissipate roughage or straw on the ground and this will make it more tasteful for them. I also found out that when the temperature is in the 30s, they don’t seem to have a problem going out.

Chickens Don’t Have to Be Put Inside in Bad Weather

Chickens are smart enough to know when they ought to be outside and when they don’t want to. Let it be their choice.

Roosts Are Key

Chickens gave the tendency to perch together and fluff themselves out. This also helps them to keep warm. It likewise keeps them off the ground if it is cold. Ensure you provide them with enough space to roost comfortably.
 

Interview and Giveaway With Author Jaidis Shaw

Hi all. Today I am excited to share an interview with Jaidis Shaw, author of Destiny Awaits. Enjoy! Q:  Who are you, and why should readers read the rest of this interview? A: I’m Jaidis Shaw; a quirky author who is trying to get the word out about my newest release. Readers should keep checking out the interview because it would make my heart happy, I’d love them for eternity, and I’m offering a giveaway. Q: Tell us a little about the work you are here promoting. A: I’m here today to promote my new paranormal romance Destiny Awaits. It takes a look at the life of Alayna Scott who moves to Juniper Grove after the death of her parents. Unaware of the dangers in her new town, she catches the eye of a local vampire who wants her to be his next meal. Through a series of events, she is brought into a world that she never knew existed and struggles to not only survive, but to understand what she has become. Q: As a writer, do you have plans for world domination, or do you have a day job as well? A: I’m not going to lie…world domination is on my to-do list. However, while I’m plotting my next move, I do have a day job. I am the Book Tour Coordinator for Nurture Your BOOKS™ so I spend my day helping other authors promote their work. J Q:  How do you handle bad reviews? If you haven’t had one…would you be willing to grant me permission to trash your writing, just to see if you cry? A: Well since it is a new release, I have not received a bad review yet (thankfully) although I know they are there waiting, just around the corner, eager to strike when I’m least expecting it. That being said, I would prefer you didn’t trash my writing because I know that when I do receive a bad review (especially ones that make me cry) I will just mope around the house all day and my diet will be replaced with a ton of chocolate and junk food…lol. Bad reviews, so long as they are honest and nice, are always welcome. J Q:  Do you blog? If so, don’t you wish you were as cool a blogger as I? A: I do have a blog, Juniper Grove, and yes I do wish that I were as cool as you. Do you have any tips for how I can achieve this greatness of which you speak? Please? Q: I think I could actually take some tips from you  Are you planning to give something away (if not, good luck getting anyone to read this thing) and if so, what are your demands for winning (I assume, your book because why else would you stop by?) A: Yes I would love to offer a giveaway! Two lucky readers will have the chance to win an eBook copy of Destiny Awaits! The winners can choose between PDF and Mobi formats. There are no demands although it would be super nice if the winners would consider leaving a review of the book on Amazon and/or GoodReads. Q:  Any advice for aspiring writers? A: RUN! Get out while you can! Just kidding…maybe…well…not really. It takes a LOT of work to be a writer but I say that if you love writing and you want to write a book…then do whatever it takes to make that happen. Q: Alright, where can readers find you on the web? Juniper Grove Blog Author Amazon Page Author Goodreads Page Author Facebook Page Jaidis Shaw on Twitter Author YouTube Channel  Author Bio:Jaidis Shaw currently resides in a small town located in South Carolina with her husband and beautiful daughter. With a passion for reading, Jaidis can always be found surrounded by books and dreaming of new stories. She enjoys challenging herself by writing in different genres and currently has several projects in the works.   When not reading or writing, Jaidis fills the position of Book Tour Coordinator for Nurture Your Books™, maintains the Juniper Grove blog and loves encouraging her daughter to let her imagination run wild.     The Giveaway    Destiny Awaits Cover Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn’t prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over. Jayden McKnight can’t explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed.     Love blossoms, challenges are made and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive, but to understand what she has become. To Enter: Required: Leave a comment on this blog including your e-mail address and what ebook format you require so that the author can send out your copy. If you decide to participate in the below (optional) activities, please state that you have done so in your comment. Optional:  Follow Jaidis on Twitter: Here Like Jaidis on Facebook: Here This giveaway will end on May 31st. Good luck!

Darwin’s Children (#1)

“You know a great book when you can easily be captivated by the characters and setting alone and fall in love with it before the plot even really kicks in, and Darwin’s Children is definitely that book. Super powers and super humans done in an incredibly different way, Natasha Larry combines the best of all the paranormal and supernatural world coupling it with a characters whose stories will pull at your heart strings, Darwin’s Children is a book that I know will be stuck on my mind for a very long time,” Black and Blue Ink
Life can get pretty complicated for any seventeen-year-old girl, but for a home-schooled telepathic black girl trying to survive in a prestigious private school in small-town Jonesborough, Tennessee, it can be maddening – especially when her telepathic father keeps eavesdropping on her thoughts! Jaycie Lerner’s family isn’t the usual mom-dad-kid setup. Her family’s special – in more ways that one. Her mom’s MIA, but Allison, her personal live-in ‘trainer,’ is more than a mom, with her own special abilities, like being able to lift cars and run incredibly fast. And her godfather John can literally convince anyone to do anything. But, as far as the rest of the world’s concerned, Jaycie’s on the outside looking in. The townsfolk love her pediatrician father, but she doesn’t fit in with ‘normal’ kids, and she doesn’t really want to. Most of her free time is spent training to keep her telekinetic and telepathic powers under control. But there’s one thing she can’t control – her feelings, especially when her best friend Matt is nearby. If only he knew what she was truly capable of… Everything seems to be status quo for Jaycie and her family, until she receives a cryptic message from a stranger and meets a very unusual girl new to Jonesborough. Then all hell breaks loose!

PROLOGUE

From the other side of the glass, Mason watched Haylee circle the monster like an aerial hunter while Sasha Gray stood like a statue, waiting. The revulsion Haylee felt was visible in the air around her. Mason had to stop himself from going in there and killing the man himself – his perverted and cowardly thoughts were sickening. Mason watched Haylee’s mouth move. Her eyes were cold and unforgiving. She leaned over the man who’d stolen her very soul and whispered something that filled his face and thoughts with terror. Then silence filled the room. Mason could tell that Haylee had said everything she needed to say. He stuck his head in and met her eyes. There was something there he couldn’t place … something that worried him. “Haylee,” he entreated, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. “I don’t think…” Haylee glared him to silence. He already knew she wanted to be there in the room when it happened. He hesitated until he saw the need in her mind. She had to do this her way. It was her battle to fight. He nodded to Sasha Gray and retreated from the room, closing the door behind her. He watched her move with an unsettling grace, like an undead ballerina preparing for the hunt. Her alien blue eyes flashed with thirst. Sasha gave Haylee one last questioning look. Haylee nodded, and Sasha went to her victim. It looked as if the vampire was simply giving him an intimate kiss, but Mason could hear her razor-sharp teeth ripping the flesh away from his neck. Mason had deliberately shut himself off from the man’s mind, but he could still see the utter agony in his eyes. Being burned alive by his own daughter would have been a serene death compared to this. Mason knew the pain accompanying a vampire’s bite was so incomprehensible that the living world held no equivalent to it. No one had even given voice to it. It was the physical equivalent to Haylee’s internal pain. Possibly even worse. The man’s face twisted in agony and, despite his psychic defense, Mason still heard a whisper of the scream inside his head that never escaped his lips. His body offered no relief. The pain was trapped inside. He couldn’t go into shock or pass out. He felt every ounce of his blood being sucked out of him. His organs gave out, one by one, and he quickly went mad from the pain. The dying man looked up at Haylee smiling down at him sadistically. As his body fell to the floor with a dull thud, he finally understood Haylee’s pain. His body was drained, and his life was over.

Unnatural Law (#2)

The writing is fast paced, easy to read and witty as hell. The characters are lovable and their interactions are some of the best I’ve read. The heat between Matt and Jaycie is scorching hot-My Neurotic Book Affair
Seventeen-year-old Jaycie Lerner’s psychokinetic power surge is over, and her astounding powers are under control for the time being – sort of. As she struggles to maintain her humanity in the face of the awesome terror and responsibility of her abilities, she also yearns for the chance at a normal life – and a relationship with Matt Carter, the best friend she had to leave behind. But Matt’s got a few tricks up his sleeve, and he’s not about to give up on his feelings for Jaycie. As Jaycie and her family grapple with the day-to-day routine of trying to keep their world together, Jaycie’s mother figure, Allison Young, endures a personal crisis of her own. The superhuman blonde possesses the physical equivalent of Jaycie’s awesome psychic power. So evolved, at ninety-two she still looks twenty. But what good is extended life when everyone else around her is so fragile? With no one to share her unusual life, she’s a uniquely lonely woman yearning for the romantic love she sees all around her. But in a dream she gets her wish – and it quickly turns to a nightmare for everyone else in her life. The memory of a rose is all she can hold onto in the storm of obsession that nearly sweeps her away. Things quickly turn deadly for the vampires, but the Dey-Vah Guard fairies refuse to acknowledge there’s an imbalance in the nature they protect. As the danger gets ever closer to Jaycie and her family, the race is on to find answers before a secret plot can destroy them all
Haylee sat with her best friend and watched the four most powerful supernatural beings in the world approach Mason and John. Lucy’s face glowed under the dull street lamp, her delicate fairy features savage and unforgiving. Haylee couldn’t see all the others, but she knew their unnatural and extraordinarily powerful enemies surrounded them on all sides, aiming weapons soaked in their own blood. I guess being attacked by a bunch of dead guys didn’t help our case, she thought to herself bitterly. “What is Allison Young’s decision?” a male voice boomed. Haylee resisted the urge to look around, knowing Allison was somewhere hidden from their view, fighting with every inch of her strength to protect him. All of this because of love. To defend a relationship that threatened to halt evolution in its tracks. Haylee heard Mason tell Landon of the Inner Circle that Allison was on her way. She knew he was stalling in the vain hope this would not come to a fight. She thought of all the supernatural creatures that could kill her – a vampire or even a vampire slayer – and grew angry at the idea that a fairy might end her life tonight. She could feel the fire from Jaycie itching to break lose. Hopefully Mason could get through to the Inner Circle and make them all see the truth. It was a futile hope. Suddenly the scene in Big Spring Park changed right before Haylee’s eyes. Allison was loose. The Second Tier screamed for her blood. Chaos erupted all around them, and Haylee couldn’t focus her eyes on any one thing. Her family was surrounded by anarchy. They might be dying. The last image Haylee saw before that final flash of red was Lucy grabbing Jaycie by the neck. If no one got there fast enough, the being created to protect her was going to snap her neck.

What Are The Common Types Of Filter For Fish Tank?

In order to take care of fish and ensure them live a healthy happy life, you have to feed them and clean up the mess that they left behind include their waste, leftover food, algae and dirt built up in the fish tank. But you cannot completely clean the tank without a best filter for fish tank. Choosing the right fish tank filter can be difficult if you do not understand anything about the different types of them, what are the features of each type, their advantages and disadvantages. So in this post, you will learn all you need to know about types of best fish tank filters that most common and available on the market:

Canister filters

The canister filter provides on all fronts of functions: mechanical, chemical and biological. Canister filter is kept at the outside of the tank make it easier when cleaning but there is also a problem if you do not have space outside since Canister filter is much larger than other filters. This type of filter is one of the most effective and powerful devices in comparison with the other types. However, great power and flexibility also come with lots of complications when install and maintain. It is also quite expensive.

Hang on back filter (HOB)

This type of filer is very common due to its reasonable price. As the name suggests, HOB filter usually hangs on the back of the tank. They are external but less bulky than Canister filters so it does not tank you much space to set up. It also does not tank the space inside where your fish live. There is the down point that this HOB filter might be the poor chemical filtration and less efficient than other devices.

Sponge filter

This type of filter is mechanical and biological filter. Air pumps or power heads can power it. Sponge filter very effective will the small tank. It does not produce strong current and safe for your fish. But the drawback is that you have to replace or clean the sponge to remove the bacteria. It is not difficult tank to clean but you need to do this work regularly.

Wet/dry filter

It is known as the best biological filtration. If you are keeping a large tank or a saltwater fish tank, this filter is absolutely suitable for your tank. It increases the amount of beneficial bacteria and effective to waste treatment.  But it is not easy to install and take more cost to setup this filter

Common Descent (#3)

 
Eighteen-year old Jaycie Lerner’s telekinesis is finally in check—too bad levitating a picnic table is now a workout. Not to mention her previously dormant telepathy is back and raging out of control. As she struggles to relearn her frightening power, the Dey-Vah announce they will soon unleash the supernatural world on the human race. To make matters worse, people start dropping dead all over northern Alabama. Then, a mysterious new enemy emerges. Jaycie must elicit the help of the world’s only master vampire slayer and an assassin who gets her tips from the voices in her head. Strengthening the Core is the only way to protect mankind from the coming vampire army, and they aren’t even the most dangerous threat. Jaycie and her family face their darkest hour when an innocent young girl serves as a pawn to form a deadly Alliance. The perfect vampire, Lilith Bradshaw, becomes an eye-opening example of how far the Alliance will go to serve their own destructive ends. The world around Jaycie steeps into darkness, and betrayals from the past threaten to undo them all.
“Jaycie Lerner,” a girl’s high, singsong voice called out. “I don’t want you to die tonight.” When the girl laughed, it sounded like silver bells. Jaycie spun around, seeing the petite vampire’s blonde hair even in the darkness. She knew she was going to have to kill this girl. She let an energy blast rip from her body. Her power knocked Lilith backward. The ground quaked. An alien panic dug into Jaycie’s head. She gritted her teeth. Focus! she ordered, trying to fight the emotion. Cut off her brain waves! She flew across the clearing after Lilith, willing herself not to unleash another energy blast on the vampire – she’d only absorb it and gain more power. The trees in the clearing crashed to the ground all around them as Jaycie tried to shake off the terror assaulting her mind. She cornered the vampire. Another wave of terror hit her. Strong arms grasped her from behind. A sharp pain dug into her neck. Something icy from the injection stilled her blood. Her body went limp and lifeless, suspended in the arms of the man who attacked her. As her vision tunneled, she fell unconscious.

What are the different types of the best chicken feed? 

Whether you are the owner of a poultry farm or you are just a beginner in this business, it is not an easy task to know about the meaning of the different varieties of chicken feed. If your chickens are eating the best chicken feed, they will be healthy and lay lots of eggs. Otherwise, eating the wrong feed has a big effect on their health and the quality of the eggs. This article will show you some basic information in order to help you find out the perfect feed for your flock.

 #1 Mash

Basically, the mash can know as a loose and unprocessed feed. By its texture, the mask is usually used for chicks because it is easy to digest, however, adult chickens can eat mash as well. The down point is that using these types of chicken fees can lead to an increase in incidental waste.

#2 Pellets

Pallets are the most common types of chicken feed on the marketplace because of some reasons: they are easy to manage, store and serve. They are produced by crush up ingredients into small pieces than make them into pelletized form. They hold their shape so they easy to use and decreased waste. Compare the prices of a common seed to compare prices between seed banks.

#3 Crumbles

Crumbles are not as compact as pallets, they are pallets that have been reducing to a smaller size. They are also not as loose as mash, so they are easier to manage than mash. But using crumbles instead of mash or pallets not make a big difference to your chicken’s health.

#4 Fermented

In order to improve the content of vitamin and enzyme in your chicken’s food, using fermented is the good ideal. You can ferment your own chicken feed by mix any type of chicken feed with water and allowed them to ferment naturally. This method will help the feed easier to digest and also neutralizing toxicity in food as well. Note: Whatever type of chicken feed you choose, it is ideal if you use the best chicken feeders to store chicken food. This tool will help you not to clean up many chicken feed leftovers and it also helps chickens reduce the number of diseases caused by soil-borne infections.

Features to look for the best vacuum sealer 2020

The vacuum sealer is a device that produces to preserve the freshness of your food and storage for a longer time. Nowadays, vacuum sealers not only use in commercial kitchens but also in every home kitchens. It works by sucks all of the excess air out of the bag which stores your food. Packing food tightly will leave all of the moisture and inhibitive to the growth of microbes and mold, at the same time save your space of storage. Base on the best vacuum sealer consumer reports, the following article is all you need to know before buying a vacuum sealer.

#1 Versatility

If you are looking for the best vacuum sealer 2020 that can use for different kinds of foods (dry and wet food), you should buy an integrated device that has a sealing mode. The sealing mode will be chosen to reduce oxygen or moisture from the food depend on what kind of food you are storing.

#2  Manual or Automatic

Although all the vacuum sealers are designed for only one main function is seal and storage but there are exist 2 kinds of them are manual and automatic vacuum sealer. Automatic vacuum sealers allow you to seal the bags automatically by just one press of the button. On the other hand, some device contains a manual operation that requires you press on the top of the device to seal the bags by your hand. Choosing types of vacuum sealers depend on your own preference.

#3 Size

Sealing size would be one of the most important features if you want to seal a large amount of food. A bigger vacuum sealer comes with correlative bags and it can work on a heavier load, sealing a lot more food. A small one is portable, easy to handle and move away.

6 Easy Ways To Cook With Herbs And Spices

I get requests on how to best utilize herbs and flavors al the time. I find that everybody has a cupboard stocked with jars that they purchased to use in one recipe, yet they don’t know what to use them for and how. Well I’m here to let you know there are incredible approaches spice, blend, add and sprinkle to sprinkle your herbs and flavors into ordinary dinners. Read on!

How do I use spices and herbs for my meals?

1. Don’t you just adore the flavor of everything bagels slathered with cream cheese? Boost your dips, chicken and salads with an extraordinary flavor! Blend sea salt, minced garlic, minced onion, poppy seed, and sesame seed to make a superb bagel to flavor mix. Consolidate to taste and hurl on… well… everything! I even moved cut-up biscuits in margarine then this mix and baked for an awesome snack bite. 2. Prepare gingerbread caramel sauce. Those staple ground flavors used during the fall can transform caramel into an all-season holiday! Add ground nutmeg, ground ginger and siagon caramel homemade or store-bought for a gingerbread caramel. Drizzle a little on make your ice cream, use as a plunge for apples and other natural fruits, sweeten your morning cereal or espresso and even to spruce up a mixed drink! 3. Coconut milk is a flavor component in numerous nations, and by simply including spices, you can make genuine tasting dishes. For an astonishing Thai flavor blend Spice Islands®Sriracha Spicy Seasoning or red curry powder, coconut milk, lime juice and a bit of fish sauce. Brush this blend on fish or chicken bosoms just before roasting or grilling. I include cayenne, turmeric and fennel seeds to coconut milk in my Coconut Curry Fish for a Sri Lankan-enlivened dish. 4. Mornings can be delightful as well. Include herbs and spices to your waffle mix and pancakes. Mix flavors like Chinese five spice, ground ginger, ground cardamom and even siagon cinnamon into the dry blend before pouring the fluid ingredients. You can likewise include Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract, or some drops of Pure Almond Extract for an additional exceptional flavor. Prepare homemade hotcakes and do a similar thing! 5. It is useful for the soul, and shockingly better when you zest it up: Homemade, or chicken soup elevates dinner to another dimension when seasonings and herbs are added. Prepare a Southwest chicken soup by use pots for making soup and putting chili powder, oregano, ground coriander and ground cumin to taste. Serve the meal with tortilla chips or fresh spinach, coconut milk or sprinkle curry powder Indian-roused soup. You could even make a comforting and vision hearty by including grated cheddar cheese and a teaspoon of ground sage. 6. Deviled eggs are not left out of the equation, making a play on the nourishment scene in a huge way. Enhance your most loved recipe by including celery salt or Spice Islands® Lemon Peel to the egg yolk filling. For a Southwest, smoky flavor, include ground ancho chile and ground cumin to the blend and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. You can add an Indian contort to deviled eggs with some garam masala flavoring or curry powder; embellish with toasted coconut.

Buying Guide: Best Musky Lures

Finding the best musky lures is going to change how people fish. These unique lures will draw in fish and help people make a big catch. The best musky lures are sold through online retailers and local bait shops. These sellers know that the lures are going to help fishermen succeed. The best musky lures have amazed people who use them for the first time. The fish will bite as soon as they get a chance to do so. The expert fishermen will utilize the best musky lures for an upcoming trip. They can catch big game fish and teach other people how to use the best musky lures as well.
 
Read up on the reviews for the best musky lures. Other fishermen have given the items a chance in the past. They are glad to make the best musky lures a top priority. They can describe features, like the all brass metal that is used to make the lures. They have good advice about how the best musky lures are used out on the water. Both freshwater and salt water locations could be perfect for the gear. The best musky lures are helpful in a lot of ways today. The wild and erratic action of the lure will be sure to attract fish. Then people can write new reviews about the lures in time. The price tag for the best musky lures can differ. New buyers should research the gear and see what suits their needs. Different makers are offering their own prices for the best musky lures. Invest in a new concept and use the rig as it was designed. The best musky lures have amazed people who are in the know. The best musky lures are helpful to people. Buy online and have it shipped for fees. Read more details about boating fishing here.