INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Beyond being unsightly, mold in your bathroom can contribute to health problems. Fortunately, getting rid of mold is not difficult. Add 1/2 cup (118 ml) of white vinegar to your toilet bowl or spray it directly onto mold. Then, scrub mold away with a toilet brush. Another tried-and-true product for removing mold is ordinary bleach. Add 1/4 cup (59 ml) of bleach to your toilet bowl, or spray diluted bleach directly onto mold. Then scrub mold away using a toilet brush. A less commonly-used, but still very effective product for removing mold is tea tree essential oil. Add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil to your toilet bowl or spray a tea tree oil solution (5-10 drops of oil to a bottle of water) directly onto any moldy spots. Scrub with a toilet brush. If left to sit for too long in your toilet, all 3 of these products could potentially damage the inner-workings. As such, it is important to flush these products out of your toilet system. After scrubbing with any of these products, be sure to flush the toilet at least 3 times.

SUMMARY: Use white vinegar. Apply bleach. Try tea tree oil. Flush your toilet at least 3 times.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Gently rinse the foot under lukewarm water, or fill a bucket with clean warm water and submerge the paw. Submerging the paw is helpful for washing out any debris that may be in the area. If necessary, you can use tweezers to remove any debris. If your dog's paw continues to bleed after you have removed any debris and washed the wound, use a clean bandage or cloth to apply light pressure to the area until the bleeding stops. If you cannot control the bleeding after 5 minutes of continuous pressure, seek veterinary care. Lying the dog down and elevating the injured paw will help slow the bleeding. You will need to apply an antiseptic like povidone-iodine (e.g., Betadine, Pyodine, and Wokadine) to kill any germs near the wound. Applying the antiseptic at full strength, however, can burn your dog's paw. Diluting to a solution of one part povidone-iodine to 10 parts warm water is suggested. It will appear to be the color of weak tea. Once any blood and debris are removed and the wound has been cleaned, swab the area with a cotton ball saturated in the diluted povidone-iodine solution and allow the area to air dry. You can either use a salve designed for humans, such as bacitracin (e.g., Neosporin) or one developed specifically for dogs (Vetericyn). The antibacterial ointment will help prevent infection and is safe if your dog happens to lick it. The first layer on the wound should be sterilized and nonstick. It should be large enough to cover the entire injury. Some good brands for non-adhering dressing pads include Telfa and Medtronic. You can find them at most pharmacies and some grocery stores or convenience stores. Lightly wrap the absorbent pad and the foot pad with a self-adhering bandage designed for animals (such as Vertrap, Pet-Flex, or Pet Wrap). Leave the front toes out, and wrap the paw up to the wrist joint. The claws of the paw should be nearly touching. If the claws are separated or if the foot feels cold, you  have tied the bandage too tight. Remove and try again.  This will not only protect the injury from being infected, it will also offer additional cushioning for the foot pad. Be sure the pressure is appropriate for your dog; you don't want to cut off his circulation. The wrapping should be snug enough that it stays on their foot but loose enough that you can place two fingers under the bandaging. Tying the bandage too tight can cut off the blood supply to the paw and may even cause limb death. Call your vet if you are worried about tying the bandage too tightly.

SUMMARY: Clean the wound. Stop the bleeding. Dilute your disinfectant. Apply the disinfectant. Cover the wound with antibacterial ointment. Place an absorbent pad on the wound. Wrap the injured paw and protect it from additional injury.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You can build your own incubator, or you can buy one from a farm supply company. If you are buying one, make sure that it has easy to control temperature and humidity, as well as good egg-turning options. One of the biggest factors when choosing an incubator is the number of eggs you intend to hatch. Usually only about 50-70% of the eggs that you incubate will hatch, and then half of those will turn into roosters. A stable room temperature will allow the incubator to keep a stable internal temperature much easier. Avoid placing the incubator next to a heater, or next to a window or door. You will need to check your incubator often, so make sure that you can access it easily. If you didn’t mark your eggs when you collected them, you should mark them before putting them in the incubator. This will help you know if the egg has been turned or not. Allow the incubator to run for a few hours before placing the eggs in. This will allow the incubator to reach the heat and humidity it needs. If your incubator has fans it should maintain a constant temperature of 100 °F (38 °C). If it does not have fans, keep the temperature at 102 °F (39 °C). Humidity for the first 18 days should be around 40%. Eggs should always have the large end facing up, or be lying horizontally with the large end tilted up. The small end should never be facing up, or the eggs will not develop properly and chick will most likely die trying to hatch. Eggs need to be turned around 5 times per day. Turn the eggs gently to avoid damaging the embryo. Do not turn the egg in the same direction each time. They do not get turned on the last 3 days before hatching. Candling eggs allows you to tell if embryos are actually growing inside or not. You will need a bright flashlight and a dark room to candle the eggs. Hold the egg with the large side upwards, and shine the flashlight through it. You should be able to see blood vessels beginning to develop, as well as the air sac on the top.  You should be able to start seeing blood vessels after a few days of incubation. You should see a developed embryo after about 7 days. Throw away any undeveloped eggs between days 10 and 14. Humidity needs to be increased to 60-70% the last 3 days to prevent membranes from drying out. Do not open the incubator in the last 3 days. The hatching process can take the better part of a day. As soon as you notice pipping, increase the amount of oxygen that is entering the incubator by opening vents. The newly hatched chicks will not need to eat or drink for 48-72 hours, so allow the incubator to keep working as later chicks hatch. Avoid helping the chicks hatch. Chicks that cannot hatch on their own will most likely not survive into adulthood. One the hatching process is complete and the chicks are dry, you can transfer the chicks to a brooder where they will be raised. You can either build your own brooder or purchase one from a farm supply store.  A 40-watt bulb in a bedside lamp makes for a good source of heat. Use a red bulb to hide injuries so that the other chicks will not pester an injured one. The chicks need a temperature of 99 degrees F the 1st week, dropped by 5° each week until brooder temp is equal to outside temp or chicks are fully feathered.   Keep the box in an area that is as draft-free as possible, and use wire to prevent cats from gaining access. After about 6 weeks, the chickens will be ready to be introduced to your flock. Introduce them slowly, and ensure that everyone is getting along before moving them in permanently.

SUMMARY:
Obtain an incubator. Set your incubator up in a temperature-controlled room. Mark your eggs if you haven’t already. Preheat your incubator. Place your eggs in the incubator. Turn the eggs. Candle your eggs. Allow the eggs to hatch. Move the chicks to a brooder. Introduce the chicks to the flock.