50 replies to this topic

[lcjaynes]

Of course detail is helpful, but even just a sentence or two is fine. What's your system?

[IH 1586]

Small squares are stored upstairs in an old 2 story dairy barn. 

 

Rounds are in a shed, upstairs in barn, or stored in couple barns that are rented off site.

[Tx Jim]

I only store rd bales outside IE no hay barn. I place the bales in rows with flat ends snugly butted together on sandy loam soil with 3'-5' between rows. Rows are situated up/down the gently sloping incline so rainwater can run down slope. 

 

I get amused when I see my neighbors store rd bales outside with rows touching round sides of bales & even more amused when stacks are pyramided.

[MrLuggs]

Everything in the hay barn - rounds stored 3-4 high on the flat (soupcan stack), squares in 10 bale flat grabs from the Kuhns accumulator stored 14 layers high. Stored straight on the ground due to asphalt floor in the barn.

[Shetland Sheepdog]

I bale only small square bales, and everything I store goes up the elevator to the 2nd story of my old henhouse!

Attached Files

•  07-08-22, Reference pictures of the henhouse 001.jpg   232.67KB   2 downloads
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[r82230]

 

 

SS bales mechanically stack inside on edge on an asphalt floor.  5' x 5' RB net wrapped stored inside same hay shed with asphalt floor. RB (also net wrapped) outside, wrapped individually in plastic.

 

Before I had hay shed & individual plastic wrapper, did have RB stored outside.  If in rows, North / South was the orientation, 6" - 12" space between individual bales, 3' - 4' between rows of RB.  I use 'over the edge' net wrap, if individual bales touched, some water would follow the net wrap over the edge and be unable to dry out.  North / South orientation, allowed easier net wrap removal during winter months.  Seems sometimes snow would melt and freeze to net wrap, especially on North side, if rows were East / West orientation. 

 

With outside storage of RB, also just stored some of them in fence rows, liked to put them on top of stone piles or utility poles if possible.  But still maintained N / S orientation if possible.

 

Larry

[Trillium Farm]

 

 

 

 

SS bales mechanically stack inside on edge on an asphalt floor.  5' x 5' RB net wrapped stored inside same hay shed with asphalt floor. RB (also net wrapped) outside, wrapped individually in plastic.

 

Before I had hay shed & individual plastic wrapper, did have RB stored outside.  If in rows, North / South was the orientation, 6" - 12" space between individual bales, 3' - 4' between rows of RB.  I use 'over the edge' net wrap, if individual bales touched, some water would follow the net wrap over the edge and be unable to dry out.  North / South orientation, allowed easier net wrap removal during winter months.  Seems sometimes snow would melt and freeze to net wrap, especially on North side, if rows were East / West orientation. 

 

With outside storage of RB, also just stored some of them in fence rows, liked to put them on top of stone piles or utility poles if possible.  But still maintained N / S orientation if possible.

 

Larry

 

Larry Your hay storage looks very neat!

[KS John]

Round bales, outside butted end to end with approx 3 feet between rows on wooden pallets, SS in the barn on wooden pallets using a grapple

[Ox76]

All small squares here.  Inside an open sided barn on loose shaken out bedding hay for ground cover.  Capacity of around 4000 bales on flat, groups of 10 with two tie bales from accumulator.  Excess will be outside on more hay ground cover and tarped.  Not ideal but better than nothing.

[Edd in KY]

All grass horse hay. Rounds 5x6 are stacked two high under roof. 
Small squares stacked 5 or 6 high on wagons then pulled into drive-thru hay shed. Bales are only touched once,

when stacked on the wagon, then touched again when fed.

My system requires more barns, but less equipment.

[Trotwood2955]

Round bales: as many stored inside as possible. But no true dedicated hay barns, just older repurposed sheds and dairy facilities. Rest of the round bales are outside with some wrapped as baleage.

Square bales: unload as many as possible into second story mows in horse barns. Some in bank barn mows. And then to finish out the year we try to leave all wagons loaded and backed into machine sheds and then feed off of in the winter to minimize handling.

[broadriverhay]

All squares here. I can store about 4500 bales . I store them on a layer of poly that is covered with shaken out hay. I stack 9 layers high.  26E14E78-71C3-4BE4-B0A9-AD4BCAB776F8.jpeg   87.29KB   0 downloads

[VA Haymaker]

Small squares - barn.

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[rjmoses]

Quality round bales stored in hoop building, Second grade bales stored on rock pad.

 

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Ralph

 

 

 

[SCtrailrider]

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[r82230]

Larry Your hay storage looks very neat!

 

That was a little 1st cutting, here some 3rd & 4th cuttings (RB are 1st).

 

 

Learning how to stack, slowly (old dog, trying to learn a new trick  ).

 

Larry

[CowboyRam]

We don't have the luxury of a building to put our hay in so we use hay tarps.  It's about $150 for a 15'x54' tarp.  The wind is hard on them, and I think the longest we can get out of a tarp is about five years, if that long.  

[FCF]

All hay stored inside. SS in mow above horse stalls and in dirt floor repurposed barn on pallets with a layer of poly under pallets. Round bales stored in repurposed barn on pallets with poly layer.

[JOR Farm]

I have 7 old chicken houses 36'X360' each holds about 1000 4x5 rolls or a little over 500 bale bandit bundles since I don't have any cows all the hay gets sold.

[BWfarms]

Small squares are stacked cut side and stored in a gambrel barn loft. Zero square bales are ever stored outside.

Round bales are in various polebarns and outbuildings with concrete and dirt floors. Some fully enclosed, some open ends but closed sides. Always stacked on pallets. 2 high: I lay first layer on flat side and place second bale upright on top. 3 high: first and second layer stacked on flat side, place third layer upright on top.

When storage space is used up, round bales are stored on well drained slope flat to flat in long tootsie rolls with 10’ in between rows. I try to do north to south orientation when possible but focus more on slope of the land. Never stored under trees.