A blackout box provides your rooster with a dark, non-stimulating sleeping environment. You can often locate the materials required to build a blackout box around your home or purchase them from a local pet supply store. If you intend to keep the blackout box outside, find a shady location. If you prefer to house your rooster’s indoors, place the blackout box in your garage or outbuilding. A raised dog crate serves as an ideal blackout box because it’s raised bed provides ventilation and you can easily cover the kennels’ holes. Assemble the crate in the location you selected—follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Remove any dog bedding and cover the floor of the crate with a layer of hay. The walls of your dog crate may be solid, slotted, or wire. To effectively block out light, drape the top, back, and side walls with blackout drapes. Purchase or cut a piece of plywood that is the same dimensions as the front wall. Lay the plywood against the front of the crate.

Summary: Gather the required materials and find a suitable location. Assemble and prepare the raised dog crate. Cover the crate’s holes.


Press your TV's "Power" button, then remove the plug from the back of the TV or from its electrical outlet. This will prevent you from accidentally harming your TV or antenna. Find the antenna port on the back of your TV, then plug in the antenna and tighten the connector (if possible). If you're using an extension cable, connect the cable to the antenna as well as the TV's input port. Depending on your current channel, you may already be receiving broadcasts from local stations. This step will vary from TV to TV, so consult your TV's manual or online instructions for how to do this. In general, though, setting your TV's input to "TV" and flipping through channels should do the trick. If you know your local channels' exact numbers, try navigating to one of them with your TV's input set to "TV". If you have a directional antenna, such as a "rabbit ears" set or a roof-mounted antenna, you'll want to point it toward the nearest broadcast station. You may also need to move items in your home out of the way of the antenna's connection path.  Adjusting your antenna is a trial-and-error experience, so don't worry about getting it right on the first try. Generally speaking, you shouldn't have to adjust a flat antenna very much, since they're both more powerful than traditional antennae and multi-directional.

Summary: Turn off and unplug your TV. Connect the antenna to the input port. Plug back in your TV and turn it on. Scan for channels. Adjust your antenna as needed. Finished.


Depending on the severity of your burn, it might take 1-4 weeks to heal. Continue changing the dressing on a daily basis and reapplying more honey to keep the area moisturized and free of bacteria. When the wound heals, you can stop the treatment.  If at any point you see signs of an infection, visit your doctor right away. If you don't want to keep using honey, you can stop at any time. Switch over to an antibacterial cream to avoid getting an infection. Make sure your hands are clean before changing the dressing on your burn. Otherwise you could cause an infection.  If someone is helping you change the bandage, make sure they wash their hands as well. You can use this treatment on second and third-degree burns during the healing process after you get medical care. Don't apply any honey before a doctor looks at these more serious burns. Peel off any tape that you used to secure the bandage and then slowly remove the gauze. Don't pull it off immediately or you'll hurt yourself. Work slowly and gradually peel the dressing off. The honey may help loosen and separate skin more easily, so removing the bandage shouldn't be too difficult.  If the dressing is stuck to your skin, soak it in cool water for 5 minutes to loosen it. Don't pull off any loose or peeling skin. This could cause more inflammation. If there are still honey remnants on your skin, hold the area under a faucet for a few minutes. The remaining honey should rinse off easily. When you're done, dry the area gently with a towel. Don't scrub the area to remove the honey. This will be painful and could inflame the burn. Leave behind any honey that doesn't come off easily. Although the honey is a natural antiseptic, the burn could still get infected. Before covering the wound again, examine the area and look for signs of infection. If you see any of the following signs, then visit your doctor to have the wound examined.  Pus or discharge Swellings filled with anything but clear fluid (if the skin has blistered, leave the blister intact) Reddish streaks which radiate from the injury Fever Use the same type of honey and the same amount that you used originally. Pour the honey over the entire burned area and surrounding skin. Use gauze or another non-sticky wrapping to cover the burned area completely. Wrap it around the wound and secure it with medical adhesive tape if you have to.

Summary: Change the bandage every day until the wound heals. Wash your hands before unwrapping the wound. Unwrap the dressing gently. Rinse off any residual honey with cool water. Check the burn for infection. Add more honey to the burned area. Apply a fresh dressing.


Don’t just think of depression as “feeling down.” Instead, stress that depression is a treatable, medical condition. Hearing this from someone she trusts can help empower your girlfriend to get help.  If you don't know whether your girlfriend's depression is episodic or chronic, encourage her to see a doctor so she can get the kind of care she needs. Remind her to separate herself from the depression. For example, if she says things like “I”m depressed.” Help her reframe it by saying, “No, Cindy, you are someone who has depression. You are a kind, beautiful person who feels and experiences depression.” Even if your girlfriend wants to get help for long-term or serious depression, her condition can make actually doing so difficult. There are many ways that you can help her connect to therapy and other kinds of help. For instance:  Offer to help her research different kinds of counseling, therapy, and medical treatments. Listen to her thoughts, concerns, and questions about these treatments. Offer to go with her to the doctor or counseling sessions. If she is working with a therapist she doesn’t seem to connect with, encourage her to find a new one. Once your girlfriend begins treatment for long-term depression, it’s crucial that she sticks with it. Since you’re in a relationship with her, you’re in a position to help hold her accountable. Try things like:  Creating a schedule to make sure she takes any medications her doctor prescribed. Offer to give reminders about when to take it, or to ask her if she did. Mark therapy appointments on a common calendar. Continue to ask her how she feels. Resist the urge to be her sole source of social support, which can create an unhealthy relationship dynamic. Not only that, it's unfair for both of you. Instead, help her seek out groups that can help her connect with others who've shared a similar experience. Check out NAMI.org, Mental Health America, or the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance at http://www.dbsalliance.org/. Each of these resources has listings of support groups online and in real life. Depression can take its toll on a relationship. If you and your girlfriend feel like the issue is causing problems in yours, you can try couples or relationship counseling. Behavioral Couple Therapy, for instance, is a developing form of counseling that can help couples learn to care for each other and reduce conflict. Even if your girlfriend is undergoing treatment for her depression, she may be at risk of harming herself or others. If you see any of these warning signs, seek medical assistance immediately:  Changes in behavior that last more than a few weeks (like avoiding friends or activities, changes in sleep habits, or abusing drugs or alcohol) Mentioning death or killing herself Seeming to prepare for death (giving things away, talking about saying good-bye to people, etc.)
Summary: Encourage her to think of depression as a medical issue. Help her seek counseling or therapy. Help her stay accountable for treatment. Encourage her to participate in support groups. Offer to try Behavioral Couple Therapy (BCT). Recognize the signs of a serious problem.