Gabriel, I too voted against the solar overreach her in Florida. Not sure where you're at, but I'm in Hillsborough county. Think about how hypocritical it is when our govt. says we need cleaner sources of energy, but we can't legally go off the grid with solar. It's not about the panels being an eyesore. It's about independent contractors installing private systems, and the big power companies not getting the money. The big companies would like to "help" us convert to solar, and will lease us the equipment, regulate everything about it, and keep us dependent on them, so they continue to get a nice check coming in each month. When the big power companies are getting that monthly check from us, those same solar panels suddenly aren't eyesores anymore.
A gas grill, especially one with a side burner will get you through a few weeks without power, comfortably. Keeping a spare tank of gas for it will get you through a very long haul. I know that firsthand, because I did it with 3 teen daughters, after a hurricane, years ago. We ate well, and I had already gotten a percolator coffee pot to use on the burner, so I was a happy camper. I had/have a Coleman lantern that uses fuel. Not only does it give off plenty of light, but it gives off heat too. Not that heating is a critical factor in this part of Florida.
We had 3 huge bladder tanks, and 1 large holding tank for water, so I had about 400 gallons of potable water, and a lake across the street which that water was fine for flushing toilets. We did great, EXCEPT....Remember I said 3 teen daughters? They couldn't blow dry their hair! They don't make battery operated blow dryers. The girls would not leave the house. The thing worse than death, for them, was being seen in public by someone they knew, and their hair not picture perfect.
While we do have a whole house generator here, I will be getting at least one of the large square containers with the metal cage frame to put down by the coop, just in case. The used ones run about $100.00 here, and the majority have been used once for orange juice, so they are in excellent condition, and safe for consumable liquid. It's easy to clean them out, and use them to store water. They hold about 275 gallons. That will be my backup plan for now. We too looked into a hand pump, and as previously mentioned, they're expensive. That will have to wait.
So, has Hector gotten used to the heaters for the waterers? My birds notice anything, and everything different, and I get to hear all about it. Like when I installed the ramp to help their feet, so they would be less likely to get bumblefoot. For the first week, they were not sure what it was, or what it did, but it must eat chicken(s), right? By the second week, they had it all figured out.
A gas grill, especially one with a side burner will get you through a few weeks without power, comfortably. Keeping a spare tank of gas for it will get you through a very long haul. I know that firsthand, because I did it with 3 teen daughters, after a hurricane, years ago. We ate well, and I had already gotten a percolator coffee pot to use on the burner, so I was a happy camper. I had/have a Coleman lantern that uses fuel. Not only does it give off plenty of light, but it gives off heat too. Not that heating is a critical factor in this part of Florida.
We had 3 huge bladder tanks, and 1 large holding tank for water, so I had about 400 gallons of potable water, and a lake across the street which that water was fine for flushing toilets. We did great, EXCEPT....Remember I said 3 teen daughters? They couldn't blow dry their hair! They don't make battery operated blow dryers. The girls would not leave the house. The thing worse than death, for them, was being seen in public by someone they knew, and their hair not picture perfect.
While we do have a whole house generator here, I will be getting at least one of the large square containers with the metal cage frame to put down by the coop, just in case. The used ones run about $100.00 here, and the majority have been used once for orange juice, so they are in excellent condition, and safe for consumable liquid. It's easy to clean them out, and use them to store water. They hold about 275 gallons. That will be my backup plan for now. We too looked into a hand pump, and as previously mentioned, they're expensive. That will have to wait.
So, has Hector gotten used to the heaters for the waterers? My birds notice anything, and everything different, and I get to hear all about it. Like when I installed the ramp to help their feet, so they would be less likely to get bumblefoot. For the first week, they were not sure what it was, or what it did, but it must eat chicken(s), right? By the second week, they had it all figured out.
I get so crazed about all that gov't control stuff, can you tell? See, the chickens like it, too? This was our little Shadow who DH thought was too cold one winter day. Sure miss the Purple Princess. 
