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Animal covers and the wind?

emmiiee

Warren Veteran
Ahh so 80-90mph winds due sun/mon

warning of structural damage and tree uprooting etc, my rabbit covers, particularly the kennel one don't stand a chance, do you reckon I should attempt to secure it down, or should I just take the cover off and shut the buns in their bed area, which is 3x4 for the night ?
 
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TBH....I'd probably bring them inside.

If there's a possibility of trees falling and structural damage then unless the hutch is in a very sheltered location I'd be worried about the whole thing being blown over. Or even something being blown onto it and damaging it that way.

It's being compared to 1987...My Mums shed blew away and landed 3 roads over :shock:

ETA: If you cant bring them in then I'd shut them away :wave:
 
TBH....I'd probably bring them inside.

If there's a possibility of trees falling and structural damage then unless the hutch is in a very sheltered location I'd be worried about the whole thing being blown over. Or even something being blown onto it and damaging it that way.

It's being compared to 1987...My Mums shed blew away and landed 3 roads over :shock:

ETA: If you cant bring them in then I'd shut them away :wave:

I don't think bringing them in is an option :( there's 5 of them a trio and 2 singles, plus the chickens, and not enough pens indoors etc, I do plan of having travel carriers ready should I need to get them in quick, they are up against a 6ft fence in a corner so slightly sheltered, however if i take the covers off the wind will be able to get into the kennel which may make it more likely to move, tho its took 5 people to move it 2 foot when we put it in :/

ahhh so many 'what ifs'
 
when I had bunnies outdoors, we wrapped rope around the taurpaulin and hutch and it always stayed in pace, under the taurpaulin we also put carpet made it snug and more secure fitting
 
I remember in 1987 our rabbit hutch blew over. There was no chance of going outside to rescue them, there were actual trees blowing around the garden, and of course nobody had thought it would be that bad so weren't prepared. The rabbits were fine though, once it was safe enough to go out and pull the hutch upright. We lived in Kent and I had just started work for an insurance company - talk about instant immersion into the job! We had claims inspectors down from all over the North where it hadn't been so bad, otherwise people would have been waiting months for their claim to be inspected with holes in their roof.
If you can't bring them in, I'd be inclined to shut them in and put the rain covers away so you don't lose them.
 
I was planning on leaving the buns in the kennel/run as normal.....they don't have covers as the run has a roof and the sides are part covered too.

As the whole thing weighs about 1/2 ton and is screwed together with about 300 6" heavy dury screws, I'm not too concerned about it moving :lol:
 
I was planning on leaving the buns in the kennel/run as normal.....they don't have covers as the run has a roof and the sides are part covered too.

As the whole thing weighs about 1/2 ton and is screwed together with about 300 6" heavy dury screws, I'm not too concerned about it moving :lol:

this is mine its 7x4
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I think you'd be pretty unlucky for that to blow away. As long as the covers are secured properly they shoud be ok, the buns have plenty of shelter even if they do come loose, it just depends on how wxpensive the cover is and whether you want to risk it tearing. My outdoor buns have a ebay cover and its been out in some pretty bad weather and still looks good as new.
 
I would just secure the cover really well with ropes as well.

If you know anybody with ratchet straps putting them around the hutch (or whatever you are using) and the cover will make it pretty much impossible to move. We used ratchet straps around their old hutch last year during some gales (with the hutch pushed up against a concrete block wall one side and a wooden fence on the other. Nothing budged an inch :thumb:

Also useful if the weather gets really bad because you can secure the whole structure to something solid as well - gives you extra piece of mind, it sounds like the wind is going to be atrocious.
 
If you have any heavy garden objects, you could maybe pile them around the shed to shore it up as it were and make it harder to blow over or away. Obviously not something so heavy it could damage the shed though.
 
It is a huge worry. I don't have hutches anymore just a shed. I am hoping that because there is only one long side exposed its going to be ok. One side is against the house the other a wall so pretty sheltered. I am going to lock them in the shed part for the night as i know my daft lot will be out in it otherwise. We don't have any indoor pens so it will be carriers for my lot if the shed gets damaged.

Lucky we have no trees near the house but the fence between mine and next door could be a issue. The things already on its last legs. I have my fingers firmly crossed everyone will be ok.
 
If you go to Met Office Online I don't think there is as much to worry about as some people are saying.

I live in Bristol and I searched my postcode on it and it only predicts 20mph winds over the weekend and into next month.

Hopefully it won't come to anything.
 
Am quite worried now, hadn't seen the detailed weather reports.

Don't think my set up can be uplifted, its very heavy. We secure our tarp with bungee cords and when its extra windy put bricks on the bit on the ground to stop it flapping as they hate the noise.

Am worried tho that the wheelie bins might go over and scare them, the fence, the tree which normally provide shelter and shade.
 
I am really worried about this. My two only have hutches and I don't have an option of bringing them inside. They are up against a fence and have the house quite close on one side but are pretty open on the other side. I can tie the covers around with rope but I'm more worried about the hutches actually falling over or being damaged. I'm not sure what else I can do :?
 
we've got an amber warning :? I'm concerned about the roof and door of the aviary coming off aswell as things being blown in to it. think my two are going to come indoors over the weekend
 
Looks like actual wind speeds estimated at around 20mph here which is lucky, because I don't think the shed roof would withstand 80mph! :?
 
I'd probably just shut them in, emmiiee :wave:

Typical how I'm away for the storm :roll: Not the best time to stay in a caravan with an awning attached, me thinks! Hm...
 
for those with hutches can you turn them around and face the mesh part to say your house wall maybe?, or if you have a shed move the hutch into there
any heavy objects should help keep taurpaulin on, or if weather so bad move them indoors for night

emillee, yours looks very strong im sure they will be ok, id just shut them in the closed part for the night , I just hope that the weather sn't going to be as bad as they say
 
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