Top Floor Of A Barn Where Bales Are Stored

Store hay on pallets.

Top floor of a barn where bales are stored.

In order to make a good decision you really need to know what it costs you each year to own a barn and how many bales you can store in that barn. Square bales or larger rectangle bales are often stored inside a barn or loft but ventilation is key says hernandez. A concrete floor is ideal for a hay barn because it keeps everything level dry and relatively clean. Make the barn wide enough to allow for the hay to be stacked with a 2 foot buffer between the edge of the haystack and the wall.

Gravel is also an option because it provides good drainage and allows for good ventilation. I found it easiest to buy 4 long metal poles from home depot. The bales on top held the poles in place with their weight. Wood floors with gaps between the boards such as you would find on the upper level or threshing floor of a bank barn usually provide adequate air circulation.

Never store hay directly on the floor or the ground. Check tarps on a regular basis to make sure they re securely tied down. To make your life easier you can bring a few bales into the barn every couple of days as needed. Rodents and other animals should be kept out and hay should be stored off the floor.

Use strong sturdy tarps free of holes or rips. As a general rule she suggested that square bales will need a footprint of 10 to 15 square feet for every ton of hay and for round bales 16 to 24 square feet will be required for every ton stored. They store well when flat ends are butted end to end in long rows. Round bales usually weigh between 800 and 1 500 pounds each.

This way you protect your barn your horses and your hay supply. If you have an enclosed barn or shed to store hay in you don t. A sloped top created by pyramiding the final layers sheds snow and rain better than a flat one. That can vary considerably depending on size and construction but a typical price might be 0 30 per bale for an open sided barn with a dirt floor while an enclosed barn with a concrete floor might.

Barn storage especially long term is best as it will prevent damage from weather. If you are stacking hay outdoors on the ground stack the bales on wood pallets or old tires so air can circulate and the hay will not be in contact with ground moisture. The downside of concrete is that it can be quite pricey especially if you have a large hay barn. I jutted the poles out about 14 from the side of the closest bale and tied my dessicant sacks to the end of the poles with the tie strings.

Round bales should also be stored on the twine or wrap side. The raking process mounds up the hay slightly and prepares it to be picked up by the hay baler being pulled by a tractor.