You probably have hay if you have farm animals or even small domesticated animals like rabbits or guinea pigs. And if you have hay, one of the most important things you can do is store it to stay dry. We’ll provide information on some hay storage ideas like:
- Ground covers
- Top covers
- How to build a hay shed
We’ll also provide some additional hay storage tips to help you keep your hay fresh and dry.
Ground Covers
One of the best hay storage ideas is to let it lie on the ground. Make sure the surface has a well-draining slope. If you’re looking for a cheap solution, you can lay down a few rocks before placing the hay bales. They will reduce moisture over time.
Try using wooden pallets as a base underneath. They protect against moisture and promote air circulation, which reduces hay loss by at least two-thirds.
Top Covers
You can always cover hay bales with top covers if you wish. These top covers are made of plastic tarp. The plastic tarp used as a top cover might not cost much but it does require a minimal investment. It is, however, not reusable. If you want a reusable plastic tarp, make sure it is thicker. It is an investment that will last for many years since it is thick plastic.
When you decide to invest in a plastic tarp as a top cover for the hay bales, make sure you get an individual one since they are more economical.
How to Build a Hay Shed
Choose a location close enough to where you’ll feed the animals but far enough away to protect them from a fire. Hay is highly flammable, so make sure your hay barn is at least 75 feet away from any other structures.
The hay barn needs to be built where rainwater and snowmelt can drain away. The slope should be at least 5 percent per 100 feet horizontally or a vertical drop of 5 feet per 100 feet horizontally.
Gradually slope the ground underneath the hay barn toward the center to prevent hay bales from toppling over.
Consider your hay barn’s orientation. Position it with the open end facing away from prevailing winds to reduce wind loads.
Plan barn access so that trucks and hay-lifting equipment can maneuver.
Build the Barn
- Dig holes for the stakes and place them at the corners of the slot.
- Build a concrete foundation to ensure maximum stability.
- Assemble the poles vertically and secure them completely.
- Install the roof trusses.
- Install your barn’s walls using two-by-four-foot braces and plywood.
- Using roofing nails, attach the tin roof to the building, overlapping the edges for extra protection.
- Add a tin ridge cap to the roof’s peak to finish the project.
- You can lay the floor down with your materials, pour it or leave it unfinished. Hay barns usually have dirt floors.
More Hay Storage Ideas
Here are a few more hay storage tips you can use.
Store hay away from horses.
Hay is flammable, so don’t store it above horses in the loft. Hay bales can get hot enough to cause combustion, which is deadly to horses. Hay is also very dusty so it may cause respiratory issues in horses.
Buy a separate hay barn to avoid fires and accidents in the same building you house your horses in. If you don’t have a separate building, store it outside. Cover it and protect it from rain and sunlight.
Store hay on pallets.
Pallets can be used inside or outside. This elevates the hay off the ground. Water falling on the hay will drain away from the bales. Airflow underneath the pallets keeps the bales fresh and dry. You’ll prevent mold, and your horses will have nutritious hay.
Stack hay for air circulation.
The way hay is stacked affects how well it stays throughout the month. Hay bales come in all shapes and sizes, so how you stack them depends on the type of bale. Stacking affects air circulation around the hay as well. Hay can spontaneously burn if it does not get adequate air circulation.
For large square stacks:
- Begin with the widest bales
- Keep stacking narrow bales.
- Alternate layers, overlapping about half a bale.
- Don’t stack any hay that is 1 ½ time higher than its base.
- You shouldn’t stack more than ten bales on concrete or hard ground.
For small square stacks:
- Begin with the widest bales
- As you stack, add narrow bales.
- Interlock with alternating layers
- Each bale is locked together with brickwork.
For round bales:
- Assemble bales in a pyramid.
- Stack them sideways, not end-to-end.
- Keep the outside bales in place with stakes.
- About half a bale between layers.
Remove moldy hay.
When hay draws in too much moisture, it molds. Hay bales that don’t get enough air circulation during the day suffer from this problem. Mold grows on hay bales due to poor drainage and inadequate ventilation in poorly designed barns. Remove moldy hay from your storage right away. Afterward, make sure there aren’t any issues that may cause mold in the future.
Check hay bales for moisture and heat before purchasing. If hay is moist and warm, mold could occur soon. Don’t buy a moist, warm hay bale.
Keep hay protected.
The best way to keep hay nutritious is to keep it protected. The ideal solution is to keep it in a properly ventilated hay barn that doesn’t have issues like a leaking roof. If that isn’t an option, you can store your hay outside, but you need to keep it dry.
Hay storage rotation
When stacking hay, always place the most recently purchased hay at the back or at the bottom. That way, you’ll use your old hay before it becomes moldy.
You now know how to store hay and have some hay storage ideas. When you’re deciding where to store it, make sure you choose a dry, protected place and make sure it gets adequate air circulation to keep it fresh. We hope these hay storage ideas have helped.
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