Food Any ideas on sheltering livestock from nuclear fallout?

SageRock

SageRock

Veteran Member
We have chickens, and I'm not sure how they can be protected in case of nuclear fallout, if WWIII does happen. If we go into our shelter for more than a few days, then the chickens will run out of water and then feed. Also, they won't be protected from the fallout. I'm not sure about trying to shelter them with us in a confined space. I hate the idea of leaving them out there to die with no water (we live in high desert, and if we turned them loose outside, they wouldn't fare much better, but the coyotes would be grateful. :p )

The only idea I've had so far is to collect fertilized eggs and start up the incubator, which could probably be in our shelter, along with a tub/food/supplies for any hatchlings. Since it takes three weeks to incubate chicken eggs, we'd probably be out of the shelter before they hatched, anyway, if it's only a few days to weeks to avoid the worst of the fallout.

The chickens are also very, very dusty. They love dirt baths, and they take them all the time.

Any ideas out there?
 
Hfcomms

Hfcomms

EN66iq
Just keep them penned up inside their coop. You can't protect them from gamma irradiation unless you move them underground or behind thick shielding. What you can protect them from [and yourself] by keeping them inside is from beta and alpha contamination by preventing beta and alpha radiation which ionizes particulate matter from coming into contact with them.
 
naturallysweet

naturallysweet

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Where are you gertting power for the incubator? In your doomsday scenario. I'd bring in a young rooster and 2-3 very broody hens. If you can, lock everyone in a building with enough food and water to last out the fallout.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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The US government actually put out a booklet on "surviving nuclear fallout on the farm". I'm not sure of the exact title, but given how old it is (they've long since stopped worrying about us peons surviving anything), I'm betting it's available on the 'net somewhere as a download.

One of the most important things I remembered when I read it (many years ago) was to have stored feed which is safe from fallout contamination. Animals which are normally pastured need to be brought into a barn if at all possible, and fed stored feed.

I do agree with naturallysweet... a couple decent broody hens and a young rooster would be valuable enough to justify keeping them in the basement (in cages, naturally)

But before heading to the basement, we'd try to set up the barns with enough feed and water to keep at least a few animals alive. I figure after the first week, it would probably be possible for people to go out VERY briefly... under 10 minute visits to the barn to do whatever is possible in that time, before heading back to the shelter (this is one main reason I have RAD detectors... so we can record and be aware of the cumulative radiation any individual is being exposed to.

Summerthyme
 
SageRock

SageRock

Veteran Member
naturallysweet said:
Where are you gertting power for the incubator? In your doomsday scenario. I'd bring in a young rooster and 2-3 very broody hens. If you can, lock everyone in a building with enough food and water to last out the fallout.
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We have some independent power sources that might still be available.

The coops could be fortified with extra food and water, perhaps enough for a week. It might be safe enough to go outside by then for at least brief periods.
 
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SAPPHIRE

Veteran Member
In addition to storing food for the animals don't forget WATER..........non-contaminated water for people pets and livestock........underground is best........dig/reinforce some cellars...my dh used to visit an uncles potato farm in Idaho decades ago....the potato storage was like a Quonset hut underground........not sure if this helps any.........
 
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Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Maybe instead of trying to save the entire flock how about saving enough to start a new flock and a clutch of fertilized eggs tucked under a broody hen?

Do you have any out building built into a bank that a fall out shelter could be built in? I'm not sure if feed bags could be turned into earth bags to create make shift walls or an entire shelter? Could the more learned among the members tell us if they would provide enough mass for protection from nuclear fall out? I don't know about the rest of you but cash for building materials is in short supply here but we have plenty of old feed sacks.

Video on earth bag retaining wall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGJ5GKYoUhs
 
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Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
If I can't get to my animals in a shelter in place scenario, I will do my best to see they have clean water. Part of that is trying to ensure the water is not fouled by fall out, poop or soiled bedding. I hate to admit it but some of the livestock we will not be able to save if they do not receive daily care. This has been a good thread in that it has made me look a little further ahead and consider some options I might not have. A simple hose to a trough that can be periodically flushed clean might be an option.
 
Freeholder

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
I agree that livestock are important enough to save at least some breeding stock EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM INTO THE SHELTER WITH YOU. To this day, in parts of Europe (and other parts of the world) people have to keep their animals in or almost in their living quarters in order to keep them from being eaten or stolen. If they can do it, we can do it.

In our location (southern Oregon) we aren't very likely to experience injurious amounts of nuclear fallout, so I haven't made a shelter a high priority. We are more likely to have predator issues (which is why I have a livestock guardian dog) or human theft issues (I'm armed). But if necessary, I could, and would, bring a few of the chickens into the house in cages in order to keep them alive. Just plan to be able to keep things as clean as possible, and make sure you have food and water for whatever animals you are trying to save.

Kathleen
 
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tnhillbilly

Senior Member
What I plan to do if it becomes necessary is put as many of the livestock in the barn providing a replenishable water supply. Then stack as many rolls of hay as high and deep as possible around the barn and in the loft and at the openings.As the livestock moves about and eats it's way out from the inside I hope the hay and the bodies of the other livestock will help to reduce the amount of radiation any one animal will get. Hopefully that will allow at least some to survive until personal care can be given to them.
 
Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
Freeholder said:
I agree that livestock are important enough to save at least some breeding stock EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM INTO THE SHELTER WITH YOU. To this day, in parts of Europe (and other parts of the world) people have to keep their animals in or almost in their living quarters in order to keep them from being eaten or stolen. If they can do it, we can do it.

In our location (southern Oregon) we aren't very likely to experience injurious amounts of nuclear fallout, so I haven't made a shelter a high priority. We are more likely to have predator issues (which is why I have a livestock guardian dog) or human theft issues (I'm armed). But if necessary, I could, and would, bring a few of the chickens into the house in cages in order to keep them alive. Just plan to be able to keep things as clean as possible, and make sure you have food and water for whatever animals you are trying to save.

Kathleen
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I wouldn't totally count on escaping fallout much less a bomb or two on Portland .... it depends greatly on who does the attack .... for the foreseeable future there's short range missile attack possibilities from rogue countries like North Korea .... it'll be more of a suicide attack on anything and everything they could reach from offshore ....
 
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