Storing hay outside

sea12

Make a good bit of extra hay this year due to extra ground. The thing is there is no demand. Have put it in dd and didn't even get a phone call. All the usual buyers are sorted for fodder this year.

I've packed the sheds but still have about 100 round bales in the field.
How well would it store out in the field with a silage cover on top?

Green farmer

Ain't no expert and plenty here more knowledge then me, but maybe first step getting it off the ground on to pallets, and go from there ?

Arrow in the Knee

I kinda do it aswell but even if you have them on top of pallets like I do where the cover touches the bales they go black.
ie: rotten.

And that's only for a few months and when you can't use the first two layers of hay your wasting a nice amount of hay.

_Brian

Saw a guy who was stuck likewise. He put square bale of straw on top of each round bale to keep cover away from bales. . From post above maybe that's why ?

Jimlh86

We done it here a few years back with 30 or so bales, had them up on pallets and covered with black plastic. Lost a bit on the top to rot but nothing major. I saw on youtube before where a lad in America who doesn't have sheds leaves them outside uncovered an just let's the outsides rot. Probably not as unsuitable a climate as here though

Limestone Cowboy

Could you wrap them?? We covered with plastic here a few years ago and never again will I do it. Balls of a job.

patsy_mccabe

If you can get pallets, put them underneath. If not then put on loose stones or gravel that is raised a bit, so water will drain away underneath.
Put pallets on top too and then cover with a tarpaulin. The pallets on top will allow air to circulate to breath underneath.

vincenzolorenzo

I wrapped hay before for a lad that had no space in the shed and as far as I know it turned out grand. Sure once its well dried it won't heat?

9935452

vincenzolorenzo wrote: »

I wrapped hay before for a lad that had no space in the shed and as far as I know it turned out grand. Sure once its well dried it won't heat?

It will come out perfect if wrapped.
We have wrapped bales that just werent fully fit and were starting to heat.
Come winter time when they were opened they were perfect.

sea12

9935452 wrote: »

It will come out perfect if wrapped.
We have wrapped bales that just werent fully fit and were starting to heat.
Come winter time when they were opened they were perfect.

Spoke to the contractor and he didn't seem so sure on the wrapping. He might know somebody that was looking for a bit. Thanks for replies

White Clover

sea12 wrote: »

Spoke to the contractor and he didn't seem so sure on the wrapping. He might know somebody that was looking for a bit. Thanks for replies

Wrapping hay is quite popular around here. Comes out the way it went in. Bought a few bales of last years to feed with grass and its pure chocolate. Cheaper than building a shed to store it.
Initially lads only put on 2 layers (8 spins of wrapper). Nowadays they put on 4 layers. Absolutely zero waste

MickeyShtyles

White Clover wrote: »

Wrapping hay is quite popular around here. Comes out the way it went in. Bought a few bales of last years to feed with grass and its pure chocolate. Cheaper than building a shed to store it.
Initially lads only put on 2 layers (8 spins of wrapper). Nowadays they put on 4 layers. Absolutely zero waste

Did I hear of some lads putting slits through it?

visatorro

see a field nearby, about twenty acres. lad made hay, waited until aftergrass came up and let out the sheep, you see them picking away at the hay. not sure what the plan is but it something funny to look at if nothing else!

Markcheese

MickeyShtyles wrote: »

Did I hear of some lads putting slits through it?

Sounds a bit bonkers to put 4 layers of wrap on and then put slits in it !!
What about attaching tarpaulin to the sheltered side of a shed (using bungy cord ) and sticking the on hay on pallets underneath - should get a winter out it -
Probably easier to wrap it though -

Sam Kade

Any time I wrapped hay it came out mouldy, the only time it came out perfect was when there was a heavy dew or shower of rain to dampen it before baling.

MickeyShtyles

Markcheese wrote: »

Sounds a bit bonkers to put 4 layers of wrap on and then put slits in it !!
What about attaching tarpaulin to the sheltered side of a shed (using bungy cord ) and sticking the on hay on pallets underneath - should get a winter out it -
Probably easier to wrap it though -

Or maybe it was straw....