Storing round hay bales outside?

[Chumsmum]

Hi

Any tips for storing round hay bales outside - was thinking raised on pallets under tarpaulin in a sectioned off area - is it that simple?

I've been told about proper fitted covers for round bales but can't seem to find them in the UK unless I'm searching for the wrong thing on google - any ideas?

Would prefer hay to haylege bales though I know these are easier to store outside.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[soloequestrian]

We stored hay outside one year - just left the bales on their sides so the rain ran off. The outer layer wasn't worth feeding but inside the bales were okay, although the hay was pretty rubbish to begin with. I could easily be wrong, but I would think that tarpaulin might gather moisture underneath and so be worse than having nothing....

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for the reply - I was wondering about moisture and wondering if better to have a gap between the tarpaulin and the hay? I've got a field shelter but that's the Shetlands stable for the winter.

So water doesn't seep all the way through if undercovered then? Interesting..

Thanks for info.

I wonder if I dreamt those proper hay covers up lol?

 

[alex2]

I stacked 40 big bales in the field one year. I bought a hige tarpaulin which covered the whole stack and tied it down. You do need to keep checking the tarpaulin through the winter, if its windy it can try and take off! The hay kept fine with very little lost due to weathering.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Pallets, tarpaulin and you can stack old hay/straw to protect the inner bales or:
http://www.baletidy.co.uk/

 

[winchester]

Where can you get large tarpaulin from?

 

[ihatework]

Pallets and tarpauline work just fine

Might be worth scouting around for a supplier that supplies wrapped big bale hay/v dry haylage, prepared just like haylage but the grass left to dry out more. Does make outside storage so much more convenient.

 

[sweet-tooth]

I bought a bale tidy last year, my Oh scoffed at me as he said tarpaulin would do, It has been absolutely brilliant, no fighting to re secure said tarpaulin, just take the lid off take the hay put the lid on - simple.

Would recommend 110%

 

[Chumsmum]

Loads of great information and those bale tidy's are perfect - thanks for the link.

I shall ask my farmer about the v dry haylege - he may make some up for me if I ask nicely

Thanks for info everyone - really helpful.

 

[haycap]

Hi Chumsmum,

I found these really good covers on this site: haycap.us that I thought you might find useful.

 

[joulsey]

We had a bale tidy last year for our round bales and to be honest i found it more hard work than tarpaulin. Couldn't take it completely off as I would never have got it back on again once I started a bale, and by end of winter it was ripped on the seams in about 5 places so didn't even fit properly. Had to constanly put bricks on top to stop lid flying off.