Hurricane time!

[LaFemmeKatia]

I’d like to hear from some of you seasoned chicken keepers about how you handle hurricanes, tornados, etc.
We have only been here (Myrtle Beach area) for three years and we have had one good hurricane each of those years. (We came from Pennsylvania and our expertise was snow!)
It looks like we will probably be getting one in the next few days.
What do you do to prepare your chickens and coop?

 

[Alayna734]

I usually set mine up in my garage for a few days - my yard always gets really flooded and I don’t want to have to keep walking out there and checking on them

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm just getting brushed by Isaias here in central NC, but my Little Monitor Coop is hurricane tested. It was uninhabited at the time, but it came through Florence just fine and perfectly dry inside (though it may have been a downed branch that initially damaged the next box roof shingles).

Given a strongly-built coop, well secured to the ground and with good roof overhangs, I would simply move the food and water from the run into the coop itself. I'm not sure I'd even close the pop door unless I had reason to believe that the integrity of the run was in danger from nearby trees or doubts about whether the roof would be secure in the wind.

I might plan on storm panels to shelter portions of the run because this part of North Carolina can get storms from any direction, but I'm undecided until we figure out the details of the future facilities.

 

[David61]

I have been in two CAT-5 , a few more than that CAT 4-2 hurricanes over 50yr living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
we don't count a CAT-1 as a real hurricane. A category one is what we call a hurricane party. Very little of any damage, a good time to gather with friends and family to cook, play board games or cards.
Chickens can be pinned up in a small cage for 24 hours+ no problem as long as water is made available. I have never seen a hurricane last much longer than 24 hours. I would say 12 hours average.
You should have enough wire, net or fencing on hand to make a 4'x4' holding pin in your garage. Bring them in before the feeder bands and wind picks up and turn them out after. Even if your coop takes damage, you should be able to make repairs or a temporary pin in a day.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

I agree with @David61 bring them in! You don't want debris or a tree falling on them in the coop. Even in a house or garage there is a chance of a tree falling on you, BUT it's the safest place you can be!! I use dog crates. I feel better knowing they're safe inside & should anything happen they're already contained if you need to vacate. I live in FL so am speaking from experience. Better safe, than sorry!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Thank you, Everybody! These are all really good suggestions.
Of course, this hurricane passed rather uneventfully (it WAS a Cat 1), but I want to have a solid plan in place before the next more serious one.
This is our first time having chickens, and we are learning the ropes as we go along.
There are so many things to consider that we initially hadn’t thought about (like hurricanes).

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

Thank you, Everybody! These are all really good suggestions.
Of course, this hurricane passed rather uneventfully (it WAS a Cat 1), but I want to have a solid plan in place before the next more serious one.
This is our first time having chickens, and we are learning the ropes as we go along.
There are so many things to consider that we initially hadn’t thought about (like hurricanes).

Make sure to have a kit for your pets too. 2 weeks worth of food, I count 1 gallon of water a day for 2 small dogs & 1 cat. Then another gallon a day for my 3 chickens. And 1 gallon a day for me. Seems like a lot, but went nearly a week with no power means no ac & 90s outside fluids go quickly. Initially you'll drink what was in the fridge & then your supplies. Store your supplies up high so if you flood they're not ruined. I'm usually fully stocked & prepared by start of hurricane season because I hate running from store to store with the crazies with an impending storm searching for that elusive water, canned food, crackers, bread etc. Also if you add a few items each time you shop it's not nearly as expensive as when a storm is coming & you have nothing & neither do the stores!