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Thinking about all the chooky loving friends down there in the Midwest and other areas where tornadoes have caused so much destruction. I've just seen the horrendous footage on TV news.

God's little creatures will all have taken a hammering at the hands of these killer storms.

Really feel for you guys.

Animals are so much more in tune with the subtleties of mother nature. They know things. Animals know.

If they are let loose in the face of impending disaster, if they have enough time, they have the sense god gave them and can often look after themselves quite well. It seems we humans have a tougher time figuring out what to do and without the weather man telling us to watch out, the sky is falling, most of us don't have a clue.

After a natural disaster people have been heard to say that the dog/cat/horse/ birds were acting strange. Too bad we are not sharp enough to pick up on this more often. It would do us all good to become better observers of our critters..if we know how to put meaning into what we observe.

Here, floods, twisters and earthquakes are not too likely. But fire? Forest fire is a very real threat, especially with all the dead pine from the pine beetle kill. We have evacuation plans in place and right up there is opening my hen house and getting my birds OUT! I will not be able to crate them up and move them in an emergency, but I will allow them the best shot to save themselves.

Yes Foehn, god bless the animals, those who cannot save themselves. And what a loss and blow to the scores of people for whom those animals meant meat or milk or eggs. I keep my birds for fun. I cannot imagine the devastation of losing livestock when I cannot replace them and they were a large part of what sustained my family. A prayer, a humble gratitude for the blessings I have, a glance at my safe and sleeping child and husband...thank you Foehn, there is much to think about.

I too live where fire is a constant threat and fire season has come early this year.

Not more than 2 weeks ago I came as close as I have ever come in the 30+ years we have lived here of evacuating in the face of a fast moving ground fire that was less than 2 miles from us with the wind blowing our way!

I too thought what will I do with the chickens? There’s no way I could take them all. I decided to put the most important breeders in the carport that is attached to the house and let the rest go free.

The rational behind putting the important breeders close to the house was since we have more than 100 ft of defensible space around our home the fire fighters would find it easer save our home. We also have a 1/3 acre spring fed pond that fire fighters in the post have dipped water out of with heliocopters.

The fire was contained and we didn't have to evacuate, but not before I had gathered things of importance to take and my 3 son showed up to help load up the cars and trucks.

Karen

Had a really frightening experience a few weeks ago when our house was struck by lightening. Thankfully I didn't have any fried chicken in the coop, as it's made entirely of metal. Chickens never cease to amaze me at how they can just go on with normal chooky things when things like lightning and thunder are all around them. It doesn't seem to bother them in the same way as cats or dogs are affected. But should a seagull fly over, different story!