What are y’all doing for the hurricane?

[Florida Bullfrog]

In truth hurricane days are usually nice family times. That’s what they always were growing up. A quiet time to hunker down and rest in the dark. They’re great for homes with fireplaces. A good time for the family to rest around the hearth.

 

[MROO]

I’m taking about the store. We got water bottles. I mean worst comes to worse the hose should work.

Don't trust the hose right away unless it has the official "All Clear" or you have a water testing kit, especially if you have severe flooding and the power goes out, Remember that every flooded building contributes "nasties" to the floodwaters - the bag of fertilizer and extra gas can in the shed, fuel tanks, pool chemicals, cleaners and pesticides, even the tons of "wash" taking the mess off the highways ... they all end up in the local water supply. On the positive side, that's one of the first things officials test and report, so you should know almost immediately if it's safe for drinking. If not, then it's wise to err on the side of caution. Luckily, if you can call it that, it's not the first time the coast has been hit with a bad storm, so everything is in place to handle emergencies. For now, they key is to stay safe through the storm!
BTW - I don't mean to come off as pushy or know-it-all. It's just that I worked closely with my state's Emergency Management Planning team for years and we had lots of side conversations about what they'd seen and how it was (or should have been handled,) both before and after. It made me a bit of a storm-watch-worrier!

 

[MROO]

In truth hurricane days are usually nice family times. That’s what they always were growing up. A quiet time to hunker down and rest in the dark. They’re great for homes with fireplaces. A good time for the family to rest around the hearth.

We did the same thing, growing up, but mainly for snow storms. We were on a back-country dirt road, so if we lost power, we were out for a looooong time. I can remember my Mom hanging curtains and blankets over open doorways to keep the heat in the main area during a particularly long snowstorm. We cooked on the woodstove for days, just adding different things to the stew as time went on and the freezer slowly melted. By the end of the week, that was the BEST stew we'd ever had and I can still recall the smell, decades later.
Mom tried to get us to keep a diary during it, but as teenagers, we all laughed at her. I sure wish we'd listened, though, because it would be absolutely magical to have those logs, now!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I thankfully don't live anywhere close to that area! but I'm doing the best thing I can, praying.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

We did the same thing, growing up, but mainly for snow storms. We were on a back-country dirt road, so if we lost power, we were out for a looooong time. I can remember my Mom hanging curtains and blankets over open doorways to keep the heat in the main area during a particularly long snowstorm. We cooked on the woodstove for days, just adding different things to the stew as time went on and the freezer slowly melted. By the end of the week, that was the BEST stew we'd ever had and I can still recall the smell, decades later.
Mom tried to get us to keep a diary during it, but as teenagers, we all laughed at her. I sure wish we'd listened, though, because it would be absolutely magical to have those logs, now!

That’s one thing I wish outsiders to Florida could understand. Hurricanes are Florida’s equivalent of snow storms. They can be dangerous, but they’re very natural to the warm season and do a lot of good for the environment. Careful home site selection and basic preparing renders hurricanes mostly safe. Don’t live in low areas. Don’t let trees grow within falling distance of your home. Don’t live on the coast unless you build your home on very high stilts. Florida natives traditionally selected home sites first and foremost by their traits for weathering hurricanes.

Tornados are always a possibility but I worry about them more from summertime fronts that dip in from the midwest.

 

[MattDeL]

I’m up in Jacksonville but I just can’t let an opportunity to be over prepared go to waste.

If the wind gets too bad or the flooding I’ll bring em in the garage here. My back yard is a bit low and collects water in heavy rain. My 10 birds will be fine in here for awhile. Tarps down with pine shavings on top, got a low roost made out of a 2x4.

If things get too crazy (which I doubt) all my birds can fit it here and we’ll hit the road.

 

[MROO]

I’m up in Jacksonville but I just can’t let an opportunity to be over prepared go to waste. View attachment 3273504If the wind gets too bad or the flooding I’ll bring em in the garage here. My back yard is a bit low and collects water in heavy rain. My 10 birds will be fine in here for awhile. Tarps down with pine shavings on top, got a low roost made out of a 2x4.

View attachment 3273507
If things get too crazy (which I doubt) all my birds can fit it here and we’ll hit the road.

Looks like a great just-in-case set-up, but I have a question for you. Where in the world did you find a NEW wooden chicken crate? I have an ancient one I don't completely trust, but the only new ones I've found are mostly decorative. They're more flimsy than my antique! I'd LOVE to find one like yours.

 

[Show Sebright]

We put sand in front the front door because during Charlie water came in. (We have a door mat to cover that now)

 

[Show Sebright]

We are worried that Ian is going to be just like Charlie just slower and bigger. I’m not sure if that bad or good though. But the show chickens are in the garage, my layers are in the hurricane safe coop, and my lamb in also in the garage.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Is anyone in danger from that ten-foot storm surge? Nobody's planning to party through that, are they?