Best place for flock during a hurricane

[hebegray]

I'm in North Carolina, and we are under advisement that hurricane Irma may be headed our way next weekend. What's the best place for my 8 hens to stay safe in the event of a category 4 or 5 Hurricane? My coop withstood hurricane Matthew very easily, but I didn't have chickens yet at the time. I'm currently laid up with a bad shoulder injury, so I need to make preparations now just in case – I can't do anything at the last minute. We are not in a flood zone – major danger would be wind. We are in the city, so everything meets city permit regulations. Any good advice would be much appreciated. I'd rather be safe than sorry – my girls are also my pets.

 

[coach723]

Do you have a garage where you can partition an area for them? Even using large dog crates would work in there short term. As soon as the winds abated you could put them back outside.

 

[hebegray]

Coop is elevated 3 feet off the ground and built on four by fours sunk in concrete. Metal roof, vented at the top, hinged when does that can be held shut with wire closures. 150 square-foot run, all wire, with wire roof. Run fencing is sunk about a foot in the ground. The door to the coop is hinged at the top . Should I leave The coop door open for them to have free run of the run or close them into the coop?

 

[hebegray]

I do have a garage and could conceivably crate them inside my "chicken room" in the garage. It would be a lot of work to catch all eight of them and set them up, but It is possible.

 

[coach723]

You will have to decide based on what you think you may get. If they are going to stay out in the coop and you think you will have high winds then I would close them in the coop until the winds come down. The garage on the other hand would allow you to have access to them all the time. Outside you are going to have to wait until it's safe for you to go out there.

 

[hebegray]

Thanks. At least I have an idea what I need to work on. Right now I only have one usable arm, so I have to get help to do anything I decide on.

 

[coach723]

Wish you luck, and sincerely hope it stays off the east coast. We are watching it too.
My daughter just went through Harvey in Corpus Christi, and they were very, very lucky compared to everyone north of them. I may be prepping too, depending on how this thing looks. I don't wish it on anybody.

 

[triplepurpose]

A category 5 hit our coop and moved the whole thing about six inches off its little (not well-anchored) footers, but it stayed otherwise undamaged and not a single chicken was harmed--they were out in the run next morning eager for feeding time. Chickens evolved in the tropics and they know tropical storms better than a lot of us.

One thing i thought of--figuring out which way(s) the wind is going to hit from can make a big difference when considering plans (tho you may not know until the storm is closer)...

regardless, good luck!

 

[rdfields68]

I'm in the central GA. area and just to be safe I am putting my flock in my garage/shop. I figure the easiest way to put them all in there would be to do it Sunday night before the storm gets here when they are in the coop for the night. I'm going to put a tarp down and some straw. Move their food and water in there for the day. I will also put my webcam out there so I can keep an eye on them while the storm is here since it is a detached structure. Best of luck to you through this storm that's coming.

 

[13happyhens]

We are in the country north or tallahassee on the panhandle and await this storm. I'm planning to keep my hens out in their shed/coop well ventilated with doors closed just for the duration of the 4 hours the storm is supposed to be bad. They say it is supposed to be a CAT 3 or lower meaning winds about 100 mph. I'm praying for them to be ok. I have 10 ducks as well I will put in there. Moving all our rabbits inside the barn, leaving the goats out as well as the pigs. Keep us updated on the storm and how it all goes! Praying!

I'm in North Carolina, and we are under advisement that hurricane Irma may be headed our way next weekend. What's the best place for my 8 hens to stay safe in the event of a category 4 or 5 Hurricane? My coop withstood hurricane Matthew very easily, but I didn't have chickens yet at the time. I'm currently laid up with a bad shoulder injury, so I need to make preparations now just in case – I can't do anything at the last minute. We are not in a flood zone – major danger would be wind. We are in the city, so everything meets city permit regulations. Any good advice would be much appreciated. I'd rather be safe than sorry – my girls are also my pets.

n county north of tallahassee

I'm in North Carolina, and we are under advisement that hurricane Irma may be headed our way next weekend. What's the best place for my 8 hens to stay safe in the event of a category 4 or 5 Hurricane? My coop withstood hurricane Matthew very easily, but I didn't have chickens yet at the time. I'm currently laid up with a bad shoulder injury, so I need to make preparations now just in case – I can't do anything at the last minute. We are not in a flood zone – major danger would be wind. We are in the city, so everything meets city permit regulations. Any good advice would be much appreciated. I'd rather be safe than sorry – my girls are also my pets.