Safe design on a crib means that the slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. A good rule of thumb to see if the slats are safe is whether or not you can fit a soda can in between them. If a soda can can fit between the slats, so can a child’s head.  Look for the Safety Certification Seal of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). This certification label should appear on your baby’s crib. Its mattress should fit snugly, with no more than 2 adult fingers of space between the edge of the mattress and the slats of the crib. Make sure the crib doesn’t have any decorative cutouts in the headboard or footboard that a baby could get caught in. Check all surfaces to make sure they’re smooth, sanded (if wooden) and free from sharp or jagged, and splinters. The sides should latch securely. All screws should be close fitted to the surface, and there shouldn’t be any missing that might be found by your child.  Make sure the crib doesn’t have any missing or broken slats. Check to see that the sides can’t be released by a child inside the crib. If the child is tall enough to stand, make sure the crib’s mattress is kept at its lowest position to minimize risk of falling out of the crib. Blankets, soft toys, comforters, and pillows (adult pillows, throw pillows, or infant donut pillows) shouldn’t be kept in the crib, as they may result in accidental suffocation for very young children. The mattress should be firm and flat.  If your baby needs certain items to fall asleep, take them away once she’s soundly asleep. Avoid using crib bumpers. A child can climb up on top of crib bumpers and fall out of his crib once he’s old enough. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep in warm sleepwear with feet instead of a blanket, to prevent risk of suffocation. You can also use a sleepsack (a wearable blanket) instead of a blanket. A mobile is entertaining and helps develop vision in young babies, but you need to make sure it’s positioned at a safe distance from the baby’s grasping fingers.  When a baby begins to push up on his hands and knees, or by 5 months, you should remove the mobile altogether. Once a baby can reach the mobile with his fingers, it becomes a strangulation risk. You’ll want to make sure that the area immediately around a child’s crib is free of anything that the child could accidentally grab ahold of, such as lamps, wall decorations (including stick-on decals that could fall off the wall and into the crib), cords, and furniture your baby might climb on.  Make sure the crib isn’t located near a heating source, such as a vent or radiator. Make sure any décor that is placed above the crib is anchored securely to avoid having anything fall onto the baby’s head. A child spends a lot of unsupervised time in his crib, so extra attention to safety ahead of time is needed.

Summary: Make sure the crib is designed properly. Make sure your crib is in good repair. Keep only the minimum number of things in the crib. Keep mobiles at least 7 inches above a crib. Ensure the crib is placed safely.


In the morning, let the chickens out of their coop so they have room to move around outdoors. Then, when the sun is setting, make sure to lock them up in their coop for the night. When locking the chickens up, make sure to count them so they’re all in the coop.  Chickens will learn that their coop is home, and eventually settle inside the coop every night when it is time to go in. This will save you the trouble of rounding the chickens up. However, if you’re still having some trouble getting the chickens inside of their coop, throw some treats inside. The chickens should have access to their coop at all times during the day, but the coop should stay locked during the night. Chickens will come in and out of their coop to lay eggs, eat and drink (if the feeder and drinker is in the coop), and get away from the heat or the cold. Happy hens will, on average, lay 1 egg apiece every day. You should collect the eggs every morning or afternoon to make sure you are receiving a fresh supply. During the heat of summer, you should collect the eggs twice a day. You should collect the eggs in a basket, box or some sort of container. If you drop an egg, make sure to clean up the mess! daily. Cleaning your chickens’ coop is very important, as it prevents pests (such as mites) and diseases. The chickens’ bedding must be replaced daily, and you must also clean the whole chicken coop from time to time—weekly, for instance. The more chickens you have, the more often you’ll need to fully clean the coop. Put on some gloves and a mask and dispose of all the bedding, sweep the floor of the housing, hose the housing down, clean out the nest boxes, rinse the feeders and drinkers, and clean the perches. Do your daily routine and feed them, refill their drinker, collect eggs, etc. Then observe them and see if there is a change in appearance or behavior to make sure the chickens are healthy.  Panting, cloudy eyes, sluggishness, low alertness, huddling, bald spots, a reduction in egg production, and decreased eating or drinking are all potential signs of illnesses. If you come across any of these, you should contact your vet. If one of your chickens has a bleeding wound, separate it immediately to stop the other chickens from pecking at the wound. Isolate the chicken until healed, and then return it back to its coop. Dust bathing is a way your chickens clean themselves, and it also prevents parasites such as mites or lice from infesting your chickens. If your chickens are free-range, they might have access to sufficient dirt already. if necessary. If you’re preparing your chickens for a show, or if they’re just very dirty at the time, consider bathing them. While you’re at it, clean the coop as well! Grab a big enough tub, a mild soap, and a cup or sponge. While you're bathing them you might also trim their beaks and nails, and clip their wings too.
Summary: Let the chickens in and out of their coop. Collect the chickens’ eggs each day. Clean the coop Check on your chickens daily. Provide dry dirt or sand for your chickens to dust bathe in. Bathe your chickens