How to deal with chickens and hurricanes??????

[Cantonmentchickenmama]

I live in the panhandle of Florida. We are close to water are are constantly threatened by hurricanes. June 1st started hurricane season for us. My question is, what do I do with my chickens during a hurricane? Although we are thirty miles from the coast, we will still feel effects from the storm. Are the chickens safer out in the coop? I have 30 hens, 10 biddies, and 3 roosters. it is not condusive for me to bring all of them inside. I am unsure of what to really do with them. I do not feel good about leaving them out in the coop during the storm, but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

 

[dawg53]

I have 18 chickens. If a major hurricane were to roll in here, my previous plan was to load them up in cages and evacuate. I have plenty of cages to do that. I've changed my mind about this due to the stressfulness on the birds and have decided to just leave the pen/run open and hope for the best when I return. Chickens are survivors and have managed to survive many storms through the centuries. I've built my coops to withstand a cat 1 hurricane. They've held up nicely during Frances, Jeanne, Faye, remnants of Charlie and recently Beryl. Albeit they were tropical storms by the time they hit us, they were a good test on the coops and chickens, and everything turned out ok. I believe alot of folks in the gulf areas let their chickens fend for themselves or 'business as usual" when the big ones rolled in over your way...Ivan, Katrina etc... while they evacuated, they left their chickens behind. I'd definitely do the same, but the choice is yours.

 

[Cantonmentchickenmama]

Thanks, I think I plan to do the same I will probably batten down the hatches as much as possible, bring my babies inside, and ride the storm out. I do have enough cages to load them up, but I don't want to stress them out.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks, I think I plan to do the same I will probably batten down the hatches as much as possible, bring my babies inside, and ride the storm out. I do have enough cages to load them up, but I don't want to stress them out.

I think the important thing to remember especially if a cat 3 and above hurricane comes in is to evacuate yourself and family first and foremost...everything else is secondary. Human lives are more important.

 

[theoldchick]

Been there. Done that. Brought everything with feathers in the house. The horses stayed out side and did fine. I will point out while we got wind and rain, the water receded very quickly. The house and barn was not flooded. If I had to evacuate and lived on the coast, I'd probably try to take the birds with me. I know my smaller pet birds would go with me.

 

[BigECarter]

Leaving the hens loose if you evacuate without them is probably the best option. I will probably try to find a way to put my phone number on their leg bands.

I had a friend who put her parakeet's cage under a cabinet where it would be safer from potential debris during hurricane Katrina. Nobody expected flooding as far east from the eye.

 

[Cantonmentchickenmama]

I am really worried that we are going to be hit this year. Seven years since hurricane Ivan, it stands to reason that that it is time for another major storm to batter the Gulf Coast. Now, while I don't wish for the worst;. this is only my second year of chicken ownership. I want to make sure that I am ready for the whateever comes through. If I have to evacuate, I don't think that I can safely do so with 30 chickens.