Your investment style can help you narrow down the various brokerage firms to find the one that will work best for you. Build a profile based on how much money you want to invest, how often you plan to trade, and how much investor support you want from your broker. Online brokers typically are best if you plan to trade frequently and don't need a lot of guidance and support. However, if you want a close, personal relationship with an individual broker, you'll typically want to make fewer trades as your fees will be higher. If all you want to do is buy some shares of stock in Nike and reinvest your dividends, you probably don't need a full-service broker. Look for an online discount broker with low fees.  The advantage of using a broker is that you don't have to do much, if anything, in terms of managing your investments. Your broker will manage your investments for you, but this does come with costs. If you plan on expanding your portfolio over time, or buying more complex investments, you may want a full-service broker who will provide more hands-on attention. The more hands-on management and personal attention you get from your broker, the higher their fees will be. Many online brokers don't require a particular minimum initial investment. This means you can open your account with a relatively small amount of money and add to it over time. You'll pay a fee for each stock purchase, so it may be better for you to save the money you would spend buying Nike stock in a savings account for a few months or a year, and then make a single purchase. There are many types of orders to buy stock, but you don't necessarily have to be familiar with all the order types to buy Nike stock. The easiest thing to do is place a limit order for the amount you want.  A limit order is a request to buy shares at the price you've named or better. Look at the current price of Nike and calculate the number of shares you could buy at that price for the total amount you plan to invest. For example, if Nike is currently trading at $50 a share, and you plan to invest $2,000 in Nike stock, you could place a limit order for 40 shares of stock at $50 a share. You might also consider placing a market order, which means you want to buy stock as soon as possible at the best available price. You would let your broker know the maximum amount of money you want to spend. If you are using an online broker, you typically can execute the order yourself and just wait for the order to be filled. If you have a full-service brokerage firm, call or email your broker and give them the details of your order. At this point you're a Nike investor. Continue to monitor the stock's performance so you can see how your investment is doing. Keep in mind stocks go up and down from day to day, so don't panic and sell in response to a short-term loss.

Summary: Create your investment profile. Compare possible brokers. Decide how much you want to invest. Pick the right order type. Submit your order to your broker.


A brooder is a small space to raise your chicks. It should be a warm, clean, enclosed area. Try using a cardboard box, a rodent cage, or even a rabbit hutch.  Make sure your brooder has a solid floor and 4 solid walls. The chicks will need enough space to move around and not get crowded. Leave at least 1⁄2 sq ft (460 cm2) per chick in the brooder. Make sure the quail cannot escape from the housing. Measure the space between the wiring, see if there are any gaps about and check that the housing is secure. Try using a 10 US gal (38 l) aquarium as a brooder. Quail will be able to start flying after they are about 1 week old. So, be sure you have something to cover the top of the brooder. Try window screen or netting. Quail often fly upwards when they are scared or startled, so it's best not to use wire because they can cut themselves or get caught in it. The brooder should be kept in a safe and warm place away from potential predators. In your home is the best place to keep your chicks but you can also keep them in a warm shed or a garage if need be.  As long as the area is warm, safe, and free of drafts, it is suitable for your quail chicks. Make sure your chicks are safe from any pets. The main threat to quail are dogs and cats. Smaller pets such as hamsters, mice, or fish are no harm to quail so they can be kept in the same room as your quail. Wood shavings are good bedding for your chicks, but you can also use shredded paper towels or newspaper.  Wood shavings are the most absorbent material and will keep your chicks dry and warm. Avoid cedar shavings, which can be toxic for the quail's lungs. You can also try lining the bottom of the brooder with paper towels. Use at least three layers. Paper towels provide great traction for the chicks. Choose two bowls for food and water. The water bowl should be shallow enough so that the chicks won't drown if they accidently fall in. Make sure the chicks can easily access both bowls.  To easily make a deeper water bowl shallower and safe for quail chicks, put stones or marbles at the bottom of it. You can also buy a special quail water feeder at your local pet or bird store.
Summary: Choose a brooder for the quail chicks. Cover the brooder with a soft, breathable material. Keep the brooder in a safe place. Add bedding to the brooder. Add a feeder and a water bowl.