| How to Get Quails to Lay Eggs Posted: 16 Jan 2018 04:00 PM PST Quails sometimes stop laying eggs due to stress, lack of calcium or minimum sunlight. However, there is no need to worry as this problem can easily be taken care of if you give your quails the proper care they need. - Figure out if you have female or male quails. Like any other bird, only the female lays the eggs. It's easy to tell a quail's gender and there is more than one way.
- Observe their behaviour. Male quails tend to be more aggressive than females.
- Look at their feathers. Most male quails will have brighter feathers around their neck, head and back whilst females will have more plain colours.
- If your quails are new, give them time to settle in. Quails can get stressed from all the new surroundings and from the long move. It can take up to 2-6 weeks for quails to settle in and start laying eggs, whilst some quails can settle in straight away and start laying eggs 2 days after moving.
- Give your quails more space. You should have 1 square foot of floor space per quail. Any more space will allow your quail room to roam, but any less and they will get stressed from close confinement.
- Mix crushed oyster shells in your quail's feed. These are high on calcium which is what a quail needs to lay good eggs.
- Give your quails access to light. Either hang lights near their cage or move their cage to a sunny/light area, this increases egg production in quails.
- Give them 14-16 hours of light per day. Any more and your quails may suffer from exhaustion as they do need time to rest and sleep.
- If you move your quail's cage outside, make sure they are not near danger and cannot escape (it will be quite a task to find them again).
- Do not disturb your quails. Quails need a calm, quiet area to stimulate laying and disturbing them may also cause stress.
- Keep predators (including pets) away from your quails. They may disturb or scare the quails which will be the reason for not laying eggs.
- Add hay/straw to their cage. Some quails like building nests to lay their eggs in, whilst others will lay them anywhere.
- Do not mess with or clean the cage a lot. You will not only destroy their nest but you will also disturb them as well.
- Clean the cage once every 2 weeks. This includes rinsing the water and food bowls, disposing of all bedding and scrubbing the cage.
- Always collect eggs at least once a day to prevent the quail sitting on the egg (both female and male will sit on the egg).
- Realise that a quail only lays one egg a day.
- If your quails are still not laying eggs, this may indicate that they are sick.
EditThings You'll Need - Crushed oyster shells.
- Light Bulbs.
- Spacious Cage.
- Hay/Straw.
EditRelated wikiHows |
| How to Drive on Black Ice Posted: 16 Jan 2018 08:00 AM PST Winter driving isn't only about dealing with snow; ice on the road is a real threat. Black ice, in particular, is dangerous because it's invisible (the term "black ice" being somewhat of a misnomer, as the ice is visible). However, you can better protect yourself by understanding and knowing how to deal with this winter issue. - Understand that black ice is like regular ice. It is a glaze that forms on surfaces (especially roads, sidewalks, and driveways) because of a light freezing rain or because of melting and re-freezing of snow, water, or ice on surfaces. It's called "black ice" because it tends to look like the rest of the pavement on the road, although in reality, it's actually clear. Black ice forms without creating bubbles, which allows it to blend in with any surface it forms over.[1] Black ice is dangerous precisely because it's hard to detect in advance.
- Know where to expect black ice. Black ice usually forms just about the freezing point. Sometimes in frigid weather conditions on highways, black ice will form due to the heat of tires on the road coupled with the freezing temperature. Keep an eye on the weather and highway reports.
- Black ice forms most commonly at night or in the early morning when the temperatures are at their lowest, or when the sun isn't around to warm the roads.[2]
- Black ice tends to form on parts of the road without much sunshine, such as along a tree-lined route or a tunnel. It will also form more frequently on roads that are less traveled on.
- Black ice forms readily on bridges, overpasses and the road beneath overpasses. This is because the cold air is able to cool both the top and under the bridge or overpass, bringing about faster freezing.[3]
- Know when to expect black ice. Black ice tends to form in the early morning and evening. During the daylight hours, the road is usually warmer and less likely to create black ice. But remember: less likely does not mean "never". Always be prepared for the possibility of encountering black ice.
- See the signs of black ice. If you are driving and see cars suddenly swerve for no apparent reason, black ice is a likely cause.
- Know how to see black ice - sometimes. While black ice is transparent, it can sometimes be seen in the right lighting conditions - if you are looking for it. Black ice almost always forms in very smooth, very glossy sheets. This glossy surface is your indication of potential black ice. If the majority of the road you're driving on appears a dull black color, but the patch just ahead of you appears shiny, you may be about to drive onto black ice - don't panic, follow the instructions below.
- This technique for helping to detect black ice won't work at night, but dawn, daylight and dusk all offer enough light to see.
- If you are unfamiliar with this glossy appearance, think of a nice new car's black spray paint compared to an older, un-kept car's black paint job.
- You won't always be able to see black ice, but looking for it can't hurt. It may also help you to stay focused in less than ideal driving conditions. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the rest of your environment as well.
- Practice driving on slippery surfaces. If possible, (and with a seasoned winter driver) practice driving on ice in a safe surrounding. Find a nice, large, empty parking lot with ice on it. Drive on ice. Practice braking on ice. Understand how your car feels and handles in these conditions. Know what ABS braking feels like if you have it. Practicing this under controlled conditions can actually be a lot of fun!
- Deal with a black ice encounter. If you do hit black ice, your first reaction must be to remain calm and avoid overreacting. The general rule is to do as little as possible and allow the car to pass over the ice. Do not hit the brakes, and try to keep the steering wheel straight. If you feel the back end of your car sliding left or right, make a very gentle turn of the steering wheel in the same direction. If you try to struggle against it by steering in the opposite direction, you risk skidding or spinning out (see below for what to do if this happens).
- Slow down by de-accelerating. Lift your feet off the accelerator completely and keep your steering wheel fixed in the position it's in. Slowing down will give you more control and prevent needless damage.
- Do not touch the brakes. Doing so will likely cause you to skid. The idea is to slide over the ice in the direction the steering wheel is facing; usually black ice patches aren't longer than 20 feet (6 metres).
- If you can, shift into a low gear. Low gears will give you more control.
- Head for areas of traction. Black ice is virtually invisible, but you may be able to head towards areas of pavement that offer more traction. Such areas of traction may include textured ice, snow-covered areas, spots with sand, etc.
- If you skid or lose traction, stay calm. Hopefully, you are now going slow and this will make it easier. Black ice is often (although not always) patchy, so hopefully your tires will soon find traction. Use the minimum amount of braking possible, although some braking will be necessary if skidding a lot, as follows:
- If you have anti-lock braking system (ABS), just put your foot on the brake, apply firm pressure and the car will pump the brakes for you as you skid.
- If you don't have ABS, pump the brakes gently as you skid.
- Always steer the car in the direction you want the car to go.
- If you end up going off the road, try to steer into things that will cause the minimum amount of damage. Ideally, steer into an empty field, a yard, or a fluffy snowbank. Of course, you may not have much choice in the matter, but you can at least try.
- After the black ice encounter, stay calm. You're likely to be a bit rattled, but panicking isn't going to help at any stage. If you must keep driving, do so very, very slowly. Alert other drivers that you're going slowly by flashing your lights at all times.
- Get off the road as soon as possible. It's better to wait a while at a rest stop, diner, or even on the side of the road until the road crews can salt and/or sand the roads than to deal with an accident. This will also provide you with a chance to recover your senses and feel less panicked. Have a hot drink and relax a while.
- If there is a pile up: Very rarely ice and/or black ice can make extremely hazardous conditions that can cause multi-car accidents on a highway. You will have to evaluate quickly whether staying in your car (where you have some safety protection) or getting out (where you can flee further collisions but will have to walk on icy surfaces, in freezing temperatures, with other cars spinning out of control around you) is safer. Consider your location, the speed of travel, geographic location, your warmth, and your physical abilities.
- Prevent or minimize future encounters with black ice. There are several things that you can do to reduce the chances of being surprised by black ice. While knowing how to drive on it remains a number one priority, here are some other things to do:
 - Travel slowly. Don't try to speed during icy weather as this will take away any control you might have had on the black ice.
- Don't tailgate.
- Keep your windshield clear of ice, snow, dirt, and anything else that can prevent you from seeing out of it properly. To get snow and ice off the windshield of your car, you might be tempted to turn on your windshield wipers. It might seem like the wipers and the washer fluid will work, but they don't. In fact, if you use your windshield wipers to get ice off the windshield, you could ruin them. Use an ice scraper to scrape the ice from the windshield of your car before starting the vehicle.
- Turn your headlights on early in the afternoon to help you see any possible sheen from black ice.
- Check your tire tread. Worn tread causes accidents in any conditions, and will ensure you lack traction when needed on black ice. In addition, consider having snow tires fitted.
- An important thing to remember is to NEVER drive in potentially icy conditions with your cruise control active.
- Stay off of the phone, and don't mess with the radio. Pay attention to the road or you might wreck!
- A good tip for any ice driving is to avoid sudden movements. Quickly turning your tires, accelerating or braking can cause you to lose traction. One way to adapt your driving style to winter travel is to imagine an egg between your foot and the gas and brake pedals. Make it a priority to keep the imaginary egg intact. You'll find yourself driving more cautiously in no time.
- Have snow tires fitted before the temperatures drop low enough to cause black ice. This is especially important if you're traveling outside your urban areas and you're not familiar with the roads and weather conditions.
- If the weather is bad and the conditions are likely to result in black ice, try to stay home and avoid driving at all.
- If you have ABS brakes, know how they feel when they engage so you don't panic and that you understand what denotes slippery conditions–even if your car is still in control.
- Walking and cycling on black ice is also dangerous and can cause you to slip. Cyclists need to take extra care as slipping can lead you into the pathway of car and truck traffic.
- One way to slow the amount of slide, gently put your gear shift into neutral. Only do this when starting to slide. Practicing on regular road conditions can help you remember this tip when its truly needed.
- Remember that zero percent traction is still zero percent traction. Even if you have all-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, or an SUV, once you lose traction the car itself won't help you. Drive safely and cautiously no matter what your vehicle is.
- Never use cruise control in snowy or icy conditions. You need to be in full control at all times.
- 4x4 vehicles, SUVs, vans, trucks and large Pickups have a high center of gravity and are inherently unstable; so that an ice slide followed by suddenly gripping the road can easily cause the vehicle to rollover. You do not want this to happen, slow down.
- If you are confused about front versus the rear in skidding: "If you see the front end of your car turning left or right, make a very gentle turn of the steering wheel in the 'opposite' direction." That is the same as: "If you feel the back end of your car sliding left or right, make a very gentle turn of the steering wheel in the 'same' direction (that the rear is skidding)."
EditThings You'll Need - Snow tires
- Functioning headlights
- Defensive driving experience in winter conditions (optional but reassuring)
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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| How to Assemble a Senbazuru Posted: 16 Jan 2018 12:00 AM PST The senbazuru comes from an ancient Japanese legend that says a wish will be granted to anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes. Today, in addition to adorning shrines, senbazuru are gifted at weddings, births, or other celebrations. By folding 1000 cranes, stringing your paper cranes, and hanging them up, you can make your own senbazuru to give as a gift or to decorate your home. EditFolding the Cranes - Decide on the size and color of your cranes. Think about how you want the completed senbazuru to look. Do you want large cranes or small? Do you want them all to be the same color or would you prefer to mix the shades of the cranes?[1]
- Traditionally the cranes are made from a square sheet of paper that is on each side. However, you can make the cranes as large or as small as you choose, if the paper is square in shape.
- The cranes can all be the same color, multicolored, or you can use patterned paper.
- Begin with the colored side of the paper facing upwards. Grab the bottom left corner and fold it up to the upper right corner. The paper should now form a triangle. Crease the paper, and then reopen.[2]
- Fold the bottom right corner up to the upper left corner. The paper should again form a triangle. Crease the paper and reopen it.
- Turn the paper over and fold it in half. Bring the left side over to the ride side and crease. The paper should be in the shape of a rectangle.[3]
- Fold the top of the paper down to the bottom edge. The paper should again form a rectangle. Crease and reopen. The creases in the paper should form an asterisk shape in the paper.
- Tilt the paper so that it looks like a diamond shape. Make sure the colored side is facing down. When you look at the paper, there should be four smaller diamonds created by the crease lines.[4]
- Bring the top point down to the bottom, while folding the left and right corners into the center. This will bring all four corners of the paper together, and will create a small, flat, diamond shape.
- The end of the diamond closest to you, where all four corners of the paper come together, should be open. It should also have two flaps on the right and two flaps on the lap. There should be a vertical crease down the middle of the diamond.
- Take the top two layers on the right and fold inwards. Fold the layers to the vertical crease. Repeat with the top two left layers. The top two layers should now form a kite shape, while the bottom layers should still be in a diamond shape.[5]
- Turn the paper over and fold the top two layers on the right towards the vertical crease. Repeat with the left layers. The paper should now be a flat kite shape. Take the top triangle (the top of the kite), fold it down, and crease. Open the top triangle back up, and then repeat on the reverse. The paper will be back to a kite shape, but the crease from folding the triangles will act as guides for the next step.
- Unfold the kite so that the paper returns to a flat diamond shape. Hold it so that the folds are facing you. Take the bottom flap and push it up; crease on the top of the diamond, using the last completed fold as a guide.[6]
- Fold the sides inwards, using the existing creases as guides. Then push the top down and crease. The top layers should now be in the shape of a longer, narrow diamond. Flip the paper over and repeat.
- The paper should now be a long, narrow diamond. There should a split in the middle of the lower half of the diamond; keep this split facing you.
- Fold the top layer of the bottom right triangle towards the center line. Crease sharply and turn the paper over and repeat. Then, take the top two flaps and pinch them together so that they meet at the fold in the center. Crease sharply and repeat with the lower two flaps.[7]
- Turn the paper over and repeat on the other side. The paper should resemble a narrow ice cream cone, with a split in the bottom section.
- Hold the top layer of the lower point and fold it up over the top crease. Turn the paper over and repeat. All four points should be even, and they should point away from you.[8]
- Hold the top flap and pinch the sides towards the middle. Crease, and then flip the paper over and repeat. Flatten and crease the paper.[9]
- Take the triangle on the top layer and fold it down towards you. Turn the paper over and repeat; these folds will create the wings of the crane.
- Pull the left narrow point to the left. Hold the paper under the wings and pull the left point until it is lined up with the edge of the body of the crane. Pinch it and refold it so it stays lined up with the edge. Repeat with the right point but pull it towards the right.[10]
- Take the edge of the left point and bend it forward. Crease it sharply. This will form the head of the crane.
- Repeat the origami steps until you have 1000 cranes. This may take several weeks or even months to complete.
EditStringing the Paper Cranes - Decide how many strands you want to make. Traditionally, there are 25 strands with 40 paper cranes each. You can divide the 1000 paper cranes any way that you wish, depending on how long you want each strand to be. With 40 cranes on a strand, use of thread. If you are only putting 20 cranes per strand, use about of string. If you want 10 strands of 100 cranes, you will need about of string or wire. [11]
- Cut a long length of thread according to your desired strand length. Usually, each strand is about long. The length depends on how much space you want between each crane. The more space you want to leave, the longer the length of string you will need to use. Also, remember to leave extra string so that you can hang the strand when it is completed.[12]
- If you want a much longer strand that will hang almost to the floor, use or more of the thread.
- You can make each strand as small as you like, but keep in mind that any string shorter than will not hold many cranes.
- Line up 40 paper cranes (or the number of cranes you are using per strand) and measure the thread or wire against them. This way you will ensure that there is enough thread or wire to string all the cranes.
- Thread your sewing needle. Place the end of the string or wire through the eye of the needle so that at least have passed through the eye. You will use this extra string to hang the strand.[13]
- If you are using string, it may be easier if you slightly dampen the end before threading the needle.
- Tie a bead at the bottom of the thread. To prevent the bead from falling off the string, tie a loose knot at the end of the string that is furthest away from the needle. Then pull the needle and thread through the bead, until it is at the end of your string.[14]
- Push the needle through the middle of the body of the crane up to the top. The crane is now on the string; simply slide it down so that it is next to the bead.[15]
- Add another bead to the string if you're using spacers. Pull the needle and thread (or wire) through the hole in the spacer bead. Then slide the spacer bead so that it is next to the crane. Spacer beads are not necessary, but many people find them helpful to prevent the cranes from bunching.[16]
- Repeat the threading process for each paper crane. If you are using 40 paper cranes per strand, you will repeat these steps 40 times until each crane is on the string.
EditFinishing the Senbazuru - Cut off any excess string or wire. Leave a minimum of of string to hang the strand. If there is more than this at the top of your strand, use the scissors or shears to trim the excess.[17]
- If you want your senbazuru to hang longer, you can leave more string at the top. It depends on how long you want the finished product to be.
- Finish each strand with a bead or charm. When you have strung all the cranes on each strand, you will need to finish it. Add a bead or charm to the top.
- Loop the thread through the bead, and then tie a knot above the bead. This will prevent the bead, and the cranes, from sliding off the end of the strand.
- Tie a loose knot or loop at the top of the strand. Hang the strand from a hook, nail, chair, or doorknob to keep it neat.[18]
- Tie each strand to a craft ring, pole, or strong wire to display them. This will keep all the strands together and make the senbazuru easier to display. Hang the craft ring, pole, or wire wherever you want to display the senbazuru.[19]
- If you prefer, you can hang each strand individually on the wall or place them in a frame.
- If you are using the senbazuru as a wedding decoration, you can tie each strand to a pole or strong wire and then hang the wire or pole at the wedding venue. Many people also hang the senbazuru strands from a gazebo or the altar at weddings.
- Some libraries pool their resources when a student or teacher is in the hospital, with each member of the school folding one or two cranes and then taking the finished senbazuru to the hospital.
EditThings You'll Need - 1,000 paper cranes
- Sewing needle or doll making needle (if the cranes are large)
- Scissors
- Thread, wire, fishing line, or any similar product.
- Small beads or charms
- A small ring or similar object to hang the completed project
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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