Bad weather coming, how do they know?

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Earl is coming our way tonight and yesterday afternoon I noticed all the animals acting strange. Very very few eggs were layed yesterday, the dogs are acting funny (staying glued to us), They all ate and drank alot yesterday - much more than usual and went into the houses early.

I kind of remember reading somewhere it was the pressure falling that they sense?

Steve

 

[7L Farm]

I love to hunt & fish. I notice game reacts to different atmospheric pressure.

 

[Koolduck]

Yep! Its the barometric pressure alright...your dogs are your best "Radar" for tornados followed by horses(if you got them) The horses will race like maniacs to the lowest part of the feild and lay down...wild to watch...scarey as all hell! Becareful with Earl...Thoughts and prayers go with you all in its path

 

[dawg53]

Yes...frogs start croaking too, seagulls flying inland from the coast....then the wind slowly picks up, increasing hourly, power goes out. You wonder when it'll stop and the howling is horrendous, it seems it'll never end til the eye passes over you...dead calm. Then about 20 minutes later the winds starts howling again, seemingly neverending. It slowly subsides many hours later...a 12-18 hour ordeal, sometimes longer. I went through Hugo in Charleston SC in 1988....never again. Hurricanes always seem to hit at night. I wish you the best and be safe!

 

[mrbstephens]

Thank you for posting. I too am looking at the weather and thinking about preparations. The animals are acting normal so far, but we're north of you so maybe won't see a reaction from them till tomorrow. I'm wondering what I should do with the chickens. Maybe lock them in the hen house? I'm concerned about sideways rain getting inside and wondering if I should close up the windows. It's still hot here today, so maybe wait till tomorrow. I know I'm going to wind up going out there in the storm to batten down the hatches!

Did this is the worst snow storm ever and nearly froze my fingers off trying to nail plastic sheeting over the vents because the snow was getting in!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I recommend you take precautions now. Rain will be wind driven sideways from all directions in thru every little nook, cranie and crack. I wouldnt go outside in the storm...many loose things can be hazardous flying missiles. Secure everything (lawn furniture etc...) or bring it inside. Be prepared for power outages. Good luck, hunker down.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Even though we depend upon our local weather guy/gal to keep us clued in, we forget that no matter what the beast type is, they have to rely on the age old weather predictor. Mother Nature herself. I love to watch animals and weather change. . .they always know. I think that is just a great thing to see. Sorry for the storms that might be coming, but still, its just amazing.

 

[Uzuri]

We watch the animals for barometric changes, but if you pay attention to your own body, you can tell, too. I always know when bad weather's coming (and it ain't a trick knee, either). I was scared of storms as a kid and would get all antsy when one was coming even when I hadn't heard about it on the forecast. Bad case of nerves with no clear reason? Time to start watching the sky. And I've got a bad toe that predicts snowfall -- the higher I hold it off the floor when it hurts, the more snow we're going to have.

OK, just kidding on that last one, but everything that lives is affected by changes in pressure, humidity, winds, and temperature -- all those things that the weather guys crunch in their computers for the forecast.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I have been thru enough of these things that it's getting to be old hat, Fran, Floyd, Bertha and a couple others.

The chickens go in the houses, the ducks and geese stay out right in it and it doesn't bother them a bit. We have some young ducklings and peafowl that will go in the brooder barn. The pheasants we bring in because if something falls on the netting the makes a hole they will be gone. The adult turkeys and peafowl won't go in the houses so they ride it out. Should be a fun nite here...... ya right.

Steve

 

[dawg53]

I hear you Steve. We get the remnants from the Florida storms; Frances and Jeanne (2 weeks apart) were no fun, Charlie and Faye. All tropical storms when they hit us, but still causing damage, power outages and alot of rain. For me, it was a month of taking my chainsaw to one big pine tree (the top blew out of it) and a bunch large branches from other trees. My chickens stayed in their coop and didnt venture out to free range too often. As a kid, I remember going through hurricane Donna in Virginia Beach back in the early 60's...not fun and it hit at night! Scary.