Stacking bales

[Lucky Snowball]

We make round bales of wrapped hay / haylage. They are stacked 3,2,1 so a large proportion are ‘outside bales’. However carefully we tyre and net, the birds ruin several bales each year. Next to 1000s of pheasants.
I am thinking about stacking the bales on their end, 3 high so that the pile is ‘square’ and the net pulled tight over tyres on the top.
Has anyone tried this please?

 

[tda]

Yes this is how I have mine stacked as I don't have a tractor to lift them down, but I can pull one down (2 high) with a strap and the quad
I have had tyres and a net over in the past, but didn't bother last year

 

[Amymay Again]

I've only ever seen bales stacked in the way you're suggesting.

 

[rabatsa]

We stack ours on end. The ends also have more wrap on them as a bit of extra protection from birds, still not enough to rely on though.

Another benefit is that they do not deform the same so are still round and rollable.

 

[spotty_pony2]

I did this last year but some of them managed to sweat and go mouldy under the tarpaulin so be careful how tightly you wrap it.