Problem: Article: Force yourself to start paying extra close attention in the situations you typically become obsessed about. Little tricks can help you feel more control in such situations, which can be just enough to challenge your stress producing patterns.  For example, if you constantly worry about whether or not you’ve turned off the stove, create a mental picture of yourself turning off the stove every time you do. Creating this mental picture should help you to remember that you actually turned the stove off. If creating a mental picture doesn’t work, try keeping a notepad by the stove and make a note to yourself every time you turn it off. Journaling is a great tool for working with your emotions and learning more about yourself. Take some time each day to sit down and write about any experiences you might have had that produced anxiety or distress. Putting your obsessive thoughts down on paper and analyzing them can be a great way to feel some degree of control over them. Journaling may also help you make connections between your anxiety and other ideas you’ve had or behaviors you’ve exhibited. Building this type of self-awareness can be a great tool for learning which types of situations contribute to your OCD. Try describing your obsessive thoughts in one column, and then label and rate your emotions in another. In a third column, you might even describe any interpretations of your obsessive thought that followed the emotions.  For example, imagine you have an obsessive thought like, “This pen is covered with germs from strangers. I could contract some terrible disease and pass it on to my children, causing them to be sick.” Next, you might have reacted to the thought with something like, “If I don’t wash my hands knowing that I could be passing on some terrible disease to my children, then I would be a terrible and irresponsible parent. Not doing everything in my power to protect my children is as bad as hurting them myself.” Record and discuss both thoughts in your journal. Self-affirmation has been found to be very effective against negative feelings. Don't get down on yourself or let OCD define who you are. While it may be hard for you to look beyond your OCD sometimes, remember that you are more than your condition. Make a list of all the amazing qualities you possess and read it every time you feel down. Even reading one of the qualities and looking at yourself in the mirror can help to boost positive feelings about yourself. It is important to set goals as you work through treatment. Setting goals, not matter how small, will give you something to work towards and reasons to celebrate. Every time you achieve something that you could not achieve before you began treatment for your OCD, compliment yourself and feel proud. While you are getting treatment for your OCD, it is important to take good care of your whole body, mind, and soul. Join a gym, nourish your body with healthy foods, get plenty of rest, and nurture your soul by attending religious services or engaging in other soul soothing activities. OCD causes lots of stress and anxiety. Therapy and medication may help to relieve some of your negative feelings, but you should also take time to relax every day. Incorporating activities like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, aromatherapy, and other soothing techniques will help you cope with your stress and anxiety. Experiment with different relaxation techniques until you find something that works for you, then add it into your daily routine. Dealing with OCD may cause you to feel like abandoning your usual routine, but this will not help you. Stick with your daily routine and keep moving forward with your life. Don’t allow OCD to prevent you from going to school, doing your job, or spending time with family. If you have anxiety or fears about certain activities, discuss them with a therapist but do not avoid them.
Summary: Work with your triggers. Keep a journal to write about your feelings. Remind yourself of your good qualities on a regular basis. Congratulate yourself for reaching your goals. Take good care of yourself. Incorporate relaxation techniques. Maintain your daily routine.

Problem: Article: There are 3 main types of chicken feed: layer pellets, which are high in calcium and given to egg-laying hens; finisher feed, which is high in protein and give to meat chickens over 6 weeks old; and standard chicken feed that can be given to chickens in general.  Food for standard-size chickens usually comes in pellet form, while food for smaller bantams often comes in crumbles. Keep the food fresh and clean. During the night, cover the food container and feed up with a lid to stop it from attracting pests, and clean up any leftovers so that they don’t turn moldy. Provide grit to help your chickens grind down their food and provide calcium for laying hens. Crushed oyster shells or egg shells are a great source of calcium. Free-range chickens may not need to be supplied with as much grit, as they find things in the ground to replace it.  Many chicken feeds already contain calcium-rich grit. If not, you can buy it separately at the feed store and add it (according to the ratio provided on the package) to the feed. Additionally, you should let your chickens free-feed on insoluble granite grit 2-3 times per month. You can buy this at the feed store as well. Chickens can eat a wide range of foods, such as vegetables, fruits, table scraps, bugs, seeds, etc. Make chicken feed the staple of their diet, though.  Never feed your chickens avocado, rhubarb, onion, garlic, uncooked potato or egg, citrus fruits, alcohol, chocolate, or anything salty. Don’t try to get rid of rotten food by giving it to your chickens either—fresh food is always best. Table scraps and other treats should make up no more than 10% of a chicken's diet. You should provide 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water for up to 3 or 4 chickens, and increase the amount based on additional chickens. Always make sure the water is fresh and clean, and remember to refill and clean the water container daily to prevent a build-up of bacteria.
Summary:
Choose the correct type of chicken feed. Supplement your chickens’ diet with high-calcium grit. Give your chickens limited treats. Provide fresh water for your chickens at all times.