How do you store hay in a barn?

Indoor Storage Protect valuable hay from the elements by storing it under cover in a building that doesn’t leak and has good ventilation. Choose a building on an elevated, well-drained site. Hay is highly flammable, so you don’t want it overhead if your main barn catches fire.

How do you keep hay dry in a barn?

Position rows of bales to promote good drying. Keeping hay dry is a key ingredient to saving your investment! It is recommended to stack round bales end-to-end, keeping 3 or 4 feet between each row (for air circulation, of course). Orient the rows in a north-south direction.

How long should hay sit before stacking?

Hay baled with more than 22 percent moisture should probably not be put into storage for at least 30 days. This is especially true if bales are to be stacked several layers deep. With the threat of barn fires removed by outside hay storage, many operators of large round balers try to bale hay with too much moisture.

How do you stack hay to prevent fire?

The proper procedure for controlling a hay fire is:

1. Knock down visible flames.
2. Probe for hot spots and inject water through the probe to cool the hay and raise it to a moisture content that will prevent burning.
3. When the hot spots appear to have cooled sufficiently, begin removing the hay from the barn or stack.

What is the best way to stack round hay bales?

Round bales should be stacked in rows, end-to-end to minimize the exposure of the open bale face to the elements. Stack bales with three feet of spacing between rows. The rows should be oriented in a north-to-south direction. That allows faster drying after a rain with good sunlight and air flow.

How high can you stack round bales of hay?

If possible, cover bales to protect the top and sides. In this case, it’s better to stack bales. A single bale can require as much as 63 square feet to cover its top. If bales 5-feet in diameter by 5-feet long are stacked three high, the size of the covering can be as low as 13 square-feet per bale.

Why do you stack hay bales?

The bottommost bales should be stacked on their sides. In addition to promoting airflow, some folks say this approach reduces issues with rodents chewing through baling twine.

Should you stack hay bales on pallets or directly on floor?

Store Hay On Pallets Never store hay directly on the floor or the ground. Doing this restricts air from circulating beneath the hay. Moisture will seep up from the damp ground and ruin the entire bale. Concrete flooring sweats during the spring and fall, and that moisture will end up in your bales.

Can you store hay in a tent?

Hay bale tents can accommodate hay bales in different shapes, and they keep hay off the ground where moisture might seep into it. Buying and setting up a hay storage tent is also cheaper than building a barn. So if you’re on a budget but want to keep your hay as safe and dry as possible, hay tents might be for you.

How do you keep hay from catching fire?

How to stack hay pattern?

Stack the bottom layer “cut side up. ” Place the bales onto the pallet on their sides with the cut side up.

How to stack hay?

Bale layers should be stacked in alternating,interlocking fashion. If there’s one thing virtually all farmers agree on,it’s that each successive layer of bales should be placed perpendicular to

What is a stack of hay?

n. A large stack of hay, especially one left in a field. a stack of hay with a conical or ridged top, built up in the open air for preservation.