To catch a hay thief

Z

Ziggy_

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2007
Messages
2,324
Visit site
I've had my suspicions for a few months now but last night confirmed it that someone at my yard is nicking my hay. We use the large square bales and overnight two sections have gone missing - enough to feed my 16.2hh for three days!!

Any suggestions as to how I can catch whoever is doing it, ways to secure my hay or scare them off - anything really! I am mighty peed off!
 
We used to have this when we tied the bales shut whoever it was (we knew didn't take much working out!) stopped.

Good luck there is nothing more frustrating!
 
i thought this so what i did was cut bale string then tie it once u taken what you need. mark not so u know if its been opened and put a lead rope along it so can use it as a visual marker so have clip at end of bale then fold the lead rope so it doesn't go over the end.that way if some is missing u can easily see
 
Mouse trap between each section? With some dye on it to, so it hurts AND marks their clothes
smile.gif
 
As others have said, either tie it up so it's awkward to get to, or get it into hay nets (I know, that's a lot of nets!). You don't have to feed it in nets if you don't want to, it just makes it harder for someone to pinch.
 
would it be an option for yard owner to buy in the bales and charge a weekly fee for ad lib? we pay £15 per week for quality haylage?,

Its so sad that someone has to nick hay off you and makes you wonder what else would go walkabout,

maybe have a word with the yard owner, Im not a fan of leaving notices as notes can be misread and lead to childish banter causing more problems.

def tie up the bales as theif may realise you have clocked them.

my feed was dissapearing from my bins, i thought it was my other half overfeeding, but i watched him doing feeds one day and it wasnt him, I said loudly one day, "my feed has gone really quickly this month" when there was alot of people nearby,
I buy an expensive feed balencer and same amount is used daily, I had been monitoring it on the first month when I bought the mare as I was wondering whether to change her feed if it was going to cost more that my usual feed that i use for the others. so I knew straight away it had gone. change the code on my feed room so only me and another person in there now, and all is fine.

so annoying though, horses are expensive enough without having to feed someone elses.
 
Used to have this problem years ago with both hay and feed. Tie the bale up and also attach a note saying - Keep your thieving hands off! That works!
 
I read somewhere that you can mix food colouring with water, put in a squirty bottle and spray over your hay...won't harm your horse but people will think twice about pinching that!!
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Normally I do re-tie my bale but left it undone yesterday in a rush, with a load of loose hay piled on top. This morning all the loose hay was gone, plus the two sections, and my bale was neatly tied up exactly the way I usually do it! Making me think its not a one off and just tieing it up isn't going to be enough unfortunately.

Am definitely liking the mouse traps and/or food colouring ideas - now if only I could combine the two...
wink.gif
 
I like the mice traps idea!! Food colouring. If itwas a small bale I would say get a hay bag and put a little lock on it with a very nice note of coz!!!! Makes me mad when people steal!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I read somewhere that you can mix food colouring with water, put in a squirty bottle and spray over your hay...won't harm your horse but people will think twice about pinching that!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Now this idea I like!!
grin.gif
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
This really annoys me, some people have got some cheek!
Write a note saying.."If you wouldn't mind keeping your theiving little fingers away from my hay it would be much appreciated as I currently have not yet won the lottery! ..Ta!
laugh.gif
"
And then wrap up all the hay in electrified fencing! How cool! x
 
You could rig a cheap personal alarm like this to either end of your tied twine. Hopefully its mere presence would put them off but if they were stupid enough to untie the bale then they'd pull the pin and set off an almighty racket!
 
I used to be at a yard where hay nicking was the order of the day. The previous owner of my mare had got her dad to make her a neat little cage to keep her hay in, complete with a locking door. It was not difficult - he just made the frame out of wood and then covered it in chicken netting. It was enough of a deterrent to stop anyone stealing any hay.
 
How about a note, A4 size, just between the next slice and the one after that, so it is only visible to those who are theiving?

Just to be sure... is someone feeding your horse cos he/she have run out by later on in the evening?

ETS or go around the other liveries, asking if anyone was caught short of hay last night, as yours seemed to have gone missing? Say you don't mind if they ask but its theft if not. might just let the theif know you are onto them and they might be embarrased into stopping
 
Canabalise one of those birthday cards which plays a message you record when you open it. Record a loud message at home, and attach ends of bailer twine to the mechanism. Then carefully attach each end of the bailer twine to the bale right where they will pull it apart as they open it, so it will make the message play.

Hide in or near hay barn with camera to hand

Cue 'Stop Thief You are stealing MY Hay!' in your voice, sounding loudly across the yard.

Got to be worth £4.99 for a card. Post pic on HHO. Should be hilarious!
 
Large sports bag/suitcase from a charity shop put opened bale inside, put a padlock on the zips???

Motorcycle chain & padlock round the bale?
 
Duct tape all the way round, mark (initial?) the end.
You will see if the tape has been cut/torn and your mark will tell you if any has been taken. Duct tape also lends itself to leaving messages on too.
 
When you tie your baler twine back round, stick a nice little note attached to it, leaving a some what pleasant message
wink.gif


I will let you use your own imagination as I will refrain from using an example through fear or getting ban
grin.gif


But they might just get the hint.
 
get an old rug, cover the hay with it, use several bricks to secure it down, spray said bricks with WD40 whoever then moves them with have terribly oily hands and you cant see that the bricks are coated with it as it creates a fine see through film
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top