TS/Hurricane Fay...we have to get ready..

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Right now, the forecast has the center coming directly over us on Wednesday. Even if it's off by 60 miles, we'll likely still have a lot of rain and high wind.

I was thinking that we would get our famous "Florida blue tarps" out and basically wrap the pens with it on Tuesday afternoon, stapling it to the pen securely. Also, we've got to fill a lot of water containers for them.

We've got all the other usual supplies...flashlights, batteries, etc. Can anyone think of anything else we might need to do?

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

keep their food dry

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

The roofs are sturdy and waterproof. If we wrap the whole outside of the pen in the blue tarp, I don't think any water can get to their food. There would still be plenty of ventilation in the roof rafter area.

 

[EllyMae]

Is there a place for them to "move to higher ground" inside the pen incase of flooding?
I will say a prayer for you guys. DH is from Florida and told me to ask that.

 

[Ellie]

Stay safe.

Ellie

 

[Missouri chick]

Lived in FL once, know what you are facing....stay safe

 

[Cabe]

I'm just south of Jacksonville and it looks like we will be getting a bunch of wind and rain here to. Hopefully it will only make it to a catagory 1.

 

[PurpleChicken]

I'm not sure how many chickens you have but if we were to get hit with
a big storm I would get them into some metal dog crates and inside the
house as the brunt of the storm passed overhead.

Even up north or building codes call for outbuildings such as sheds and permanent
coops to have roofs rated for 120 mph winds.


Best of luck to you.

 

[rooster-red]

When you wrap the tarp around the coop I'd use some thin wooden stripping at the edges, maybe nail it instead of staples. winds at even at 30-60 mph will rip the tarp where it is stapled down.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Thanks for everyone's well wishes...

There are plenty of roosts in all the pens. The middle pen has 6 two month old cochin babies. They are the ones I'm most concerned about because they don't roost as much as I'd like. I put them up on it, but they don't stay long. I think part of the issue is that their feet feathers are about 3 inches long already. Maybe I'll put them in the dog crate and bring them in the house.

Also, the silkies, since they don't roost. There is a large double nesting box that they jump on top of and huddle together. It's just slightly off the ground and is about 12 inches high. The pens are on high ground and the soil is quite sandy...I don't think we'll have a lot of standing water. Most of it should run off.

If it moves to a Cat 2, we're going to have to think of something else!!