Secrets of feeding chickens
At all times, chicken eggs were considered the first dish on the table. They contain many useful substances necessary for human health. Once there was such a joke: “Why are eggs of hens only, and not ducks, geese or turkeys honored? Because the hen cries, leaving the egg in the nest. Advertising".Surprisingly, it is. Therefore, in February, the owners of chickens try to give them quality food.
Provident owners in the summer think about how to feed the chickens in the winter. They harvest nettles, make flour from needles, grow various vegetables. 
With this approach, the bird receives all the necessary components for a healthy existence and brings a quality egg.
If the temperature outside is –20 ° C, the bird is fed twice a day. With a greater strength of frost, apply three meals a day.
When it is February in the yard, chickens should be given the following feed every morning:
- mash;
- boiled cereal with the addition of cottage cheese;
- herbal dry nettle flour;
- shredded needles with a dry set of vitamin and minerals;
- boiled root vegetables;
- finely chopped cabbage leaves.
In the evening, dry food, which consists of various types of cereals, will benefit the bird. It does not matter if the mixture stays in the feeder overnight, as it does not lose its nutritional value at low temperature.
To make an egg of high quality, you can add worms to the feed. It does not matter that it is winter outside. For example, maggots are sold in stores for fishing. What can't you do for the dear birds? Summarizing, we can say that the daily diet of poultry is quite simple. But the benefits are much more valuable than costs.
Collecting eggs for an
incubator In order to always have chickens on the supply yard, at the end of winter it’s time to prepare the eggs for the incubator. Since frosts do not stop in February, you should follow these rules:
- Collect eggs 2 times a day( when they are still warm).This maintains the incubation properties.
- Store raw materials in a dry, cool place( temperature about 12 ° C, air humidity within 80%).
- Eggs should only lie in a horizontal position. The optimal shelf life is not more than a week.
Soiled eggs should never be washed. Better to choose clean options. Everything should be in its natural form. The sooner they are in the incubator, the greater the likelihood of the birth of chicks.
Basic requirements for incubation material:
- The correct form without visible damage.
- The yolk is located in the central part of the egg.
- The airbag is on the blunt side.
- When scanning, the content should be light.
It is equally important to pick up eggs of medium size. Practice shows that in large specimens there are hidden defects, and small ones lead to the appearance of weak individuals. Having completed such works in February, in the fall the yard will be filled with young chickens. And then on the table will regularly be high-quality eggs.
Tentative care for newborn kids and lambs
The most important cares on the farm are the care of newborn animals. Helpless kids need human attention and help when it’s freezing and snowing outside. Therefore, gardeners are trying to make every effort to raise healthy pets. An ancient book says that a caring shepherd treats his cattle with love, especially newborn babies. 
. The first thing a newly born kid needs is umbilical cord release. It is cut with clean sharp scissors, leaving 2 cm from the body. After that, they squeeze blood from it and soak it for a moment in iodine. Within a few hours, it is necessary to monitor its condition in order to notice possible bleeding. If this happens, you need to quickly tie up the umbilical cord with a simple thread and treat the wound with iodine. You do not need to remove it, after 14 days it will fall off with the remains of the umbilical cord.
If several goatlings were born, the scissors should be disinfected after each individual so as not to carry the infection.
Since the goat is born very weak, colostrum is the best food for it. It is given to the animal 2 hours after birth. The first week it eats exclusively milk from the mother, which is filtered and heated. Feeding regime - up to five times a day. After 2 weeks, the baby is taught to eat solid food by placing hay in the feeder. Even in February, it is recommended to release young animals for a walk, if it is not too cold outside.
Lambs that have appeared into the world need the complete care of their owners, especially during the period of February cold. So that they do not catch cold, they put a container with hot water or a reflector into the room. As a result, they dry quickly and are ready to connect with the mother in 40 minutes.
The first few days they eat only milk. Let them to the uterus every 2 or 3 hours. Wise summer residents watch the time so that the little ones do not go hungry. Lambs, which are weaker than others, are fed with milked milk. The quivering care of newborn lambs in February is the guarantee of healthy sheep at the court.
In the early days, sheep are fed mostly with hay, which is an excellent source of milk supplement. Only on day 5 she is given a full diet.
Forced feeding of bees
On cold February days one should not forget about bee colonies. Although they are at rest, it is important to ensure that they always have food. If there is not enough honey in the hive, you need to prepare a top dressing:
- sugar syrup;
- sugar dough;
- sugar candy.
Prepare syrup from sugar in an enamel pan.1 liter of water is poured into it and brought to a boiling state. Then add 2 kg of sugar and, while stirring, boil for about 20 minutes. When the product turns out to make balls, then he is ready. Honey( 600 g) is added to this mixture and boiled for another 2 or 3 minutes. The cooled syrup is stirred vigorously with a wooden spoon until a mass of white is obtained. Small flat cakes are made of it, wrapped in cloth and placed in a beehive near the bees. 
Sugar dough is prepared by mixing powdered sugar( 2 kg) with honey( 1 kg).When a homogeneous mass is formed, knead it like a normal dough. In finished form, it must retain its shape for 3 hours. Distribute it to the bees, in the same way as sugar syrup.
Sugar Candy is made from 1 part water and 5 parts sugar. The slush is boiled on low heat for about half an hour. You can add citric acid( 2 g) to it to get a clear candy. If the sugar stretches like a thread, the feed is ready. Hot product is poured into a special frame, which later put in the hive next to the club of a bee colony.
Any feeding of bees during the winter dormancy period may excite insects. It is used only in extreme cases, to protect the faithful workers from starvation.
