[ScribbleUk]

Did everyone's coops and runs hold up ok in the storms?  Any tips to share?

[hughesy]

One of ours turned completely on it's roof. Luckily not in use at the moment. Our main one is just holding together we've shored it up with some posts but it won't stand another do like last night. Some heras panels we use for runs blown over but it's just a case of putting them back up. Worst damage for us was our fruit cage which has been flattened, right next to the polytunnel which is totally unharmed.

[little blue]

one of ours has a huge pallet across the roof to weigh it down... it has a side opening door so it'll stay like it til the weather's better!
The rest are ok, some felt missing off sheds but nothing too bad.

[ScribbleUk]

I wonder if this coop is of a TAS member.  Saw it on Twitter today.


http://twitter.com/paulkingstonnnp/status/416676680577843200/photo/1

[HesterF]

Having been very sceptical of the onduline roofing system of my new coops, I'm now completely convinced that it's brilliant. It's stood the test of much higher winds than we had in the 'hurricane' a few weeks ago - all dry inside, completely solid even without a layer of wood.

Oh, and we tried to take down the goose shed to move it yesterday and that is so solid, we can't pull it apart so it has to stay where it is. That's not going anywhere in a storm either. Our only problem is the main hen house which has a heavy wood/felt roof but for some reason it's not attached to the rest of the house so it has lifted in the past and is now covered in bricks and rocks to weigh it down. I'll be putting onduline onto that this year sometime since it's also leaking where the geese have chewed the felt they can reach.

Now the house roof is a completely different question - roofer needed soon to replace tiles.

[chrismahon]

Looking at that picture of the roofless coop reminds me that we have three coops I built specifically to move here and as yet I haven't screwed any of the roofs down. We get very high winds here as well, so that's my job for tomorrow because it's hammering it down all day today.


All of our coops are raised off the ground and although very heavy indeed, it remains to be seen if any will blow over. Apparently the gusts come without warning and will lift a steel wheelbarrow into the air.


And I thought the weather in the South of France would be fantastic all year.

[Shropshirelass]

Aww those poor geese their like "What Happened!" mind you I'd feel like that if my house was like that after a storm x

[little blue]

ours were like that pic when the roof blew off .. just looking out going "Oh!"
No intentions of escape, just bemused...!!

[ellied]

The hinged lid of mine kept banging right over and nearly came off several times tho I tried various ways of holding it down.  Eventually I dragged/manipulated a huge branch off the apple tree that was waiting logging, and it's now wedged down securely by that.  The wee one tips over every night and the end door has come off completely, so they're all packing in the one now bar the couple that roost elsewhere - black bantie has taken over a corner of the logpile outside the back door and "the chick" who is now POL, goes in an open wee hutch and through into the sleeping area - I had a couple laying in there too until the last week but not a single egg since the storms began and I can't blame them!

I am often waking up and wandering about with a coat over my pjs at 11pm or 1am or 4am just checking, I don't mind the dry wind so much but when the torrential rain or snow comes with it I like being out there less and less 

[Sudanpan]

Both our coops seem to have survived the wind and downpours basically ok - though my chickens, who are the spookiest bunch of poultry at the best to times, do seem to be even more timid than normal (didn't think that would be possible) so maybe the banging and clattering has taken its toll.