Glad that folks here weren't affected badly by Irene, we're praying for all the others who are in her path. I measured only .6" of rain in the last 24 hours, there was just one really strong squall that passed my place. But geez, it was enough to have knocked a big dead branch off a poinciana tree, maybe now Mister will realize how essential it is to remove all the other dead branches from that tree before the next hurricane.
Throughout the years of keeping poultry I have amassed quite a collection of cages, crates, & carriers. If Irene had come here I would have put the 6 Embden geese in the back bathroom, with the floor covered in newspaper and straw, and maybe the ducks too if they would all behave. With the window shuttered and the lights off they would just hunker down quietly in the dark. Then I would have put as many of the chickens in the crates & cages as I could, starting with the chicks & the youngest ones. I pack them in close and keep them in a dark room to ride out the storms, they just doze quietly. I don't bother trying to fit little food & water dishes in with them for them to just tip over & make a mess. They can manage without for the duration of the storm.
Cardboard banana boxes also work well for temporary storm housing for chickens, just put a folded feed sack over the opening in the bottom. They can be stacked several boxes high, provide a safe place for a lot of chickens during a hurricane.
