New England: Tornado Warning!!! AAHHH!!!

[Katy]

Quote:
Yes, but what can I do about the chickens? Will they be OK in their coop? If a tornado hits all we can do is go into the basement for safety...And if I could I would bring the chickens with me! All we have out there is my beloved rooster, Ivory, and a mother hen with her 3 young chicks.

I don't do anything with my chickens when it storms......I couldn't bring them all in if I wanted to. The odds of a tornado hitting your coop are next to nothing so I wouldn't worry about them.

 

[EweSheep]

What tornadoes would do is to blow over coops but the chickens would stay in there regardless or stay put somewhere in the coop. Sure they will sleep on the wet floor but as soon it is possible, they will shake themselves off and see what's up.

I would worry more about flying debris than worrying about my chickens. Most important is you and your family (and family pets) get down to safety.

 

[redhen]

Where is it supposed to hit? Anywhere in Western Ma...

 

[TXmom]

I live in Texas and we get tornado warnings all the time...and an occasional real tornado. The chances of a tornado hurting your chickens is about the same as you winning the lottery...so please don't stress about it. If there really is a tornado close, and you know about it, then I guess you could bring them down to the basement with you since it sounds like you only have a few...but again, the odds are ridiculously low.

 

[Yessur Ebob]

We've had several tornado warnings in the past few days. My sisters and I actually watched a funnel cloud forming, but as soon as we realized what it was we ran for the basement. Luckily it didn't touch down. It was kinda scary.

 

[Penturner]

Getting worried about being hit by a tornado is a lot like being worried about getting struck by lightening. I lived for years in Tornado Alley. (300 tornado warnings in two weeks) and our farm was only close to a Tornado 2 times in 20 years. No animals where ever hurt. we did have a shed that seemed determined to sacrifice itself though. We had lightening split trees in half or blow huge limbs off them at least 6 times in that same period. I know it is impossible for people that are not used to them to not worry. When I was younger all the men used to go stand in the front yard when the warnings started being broadcast. it was a bit of a right of passage when I got old enough to go out and stand in the yard with the "Men". Saw lots of funnels and even quite a few Tornadoes. but in all my life I was only actually in one. we walked down a dirt road right in the middle of it. had to dig gravel and sand out of our faces afterward. Never did know we where in the middle of a tornado until it was over. probably would have died of a heart attack had I realized what we where in. Just realize you can stand and watch a tornado that is less than half a mile away and have nothing at all happen to you. then again you may have a house fall on you.

 

[SillyChicken]

next time, since you only have a few chickens, get a dog crate and toss em in that and take to the basement when bad weather threatens.

Hope you faired the storms ok. We had several Tornados in MI and OH Sat night, with some damage and a few deaths.

 

[mrkpero]

We were just hit with an F4 tornado 3 nights ago. We were extremely fortunate, but many others were not. To be honest, I love my chickens but in the middle of tornado with 175mph winds, they were not my main concern. They can always be replaced. You cannot. Do your best to secure the coop as it sits now and hope for the best. That is about all you can do. After the storm I was just glad we are alive and still have our home. My husband is a volunteer firefighter and saw so much devistation first hand. A chicken is not worth your life