How can I keep farm hay bales fresh ?

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Littlepig&co

Littlepig&co

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I get large bale's of farm hay for a few quid and we store them in our storage shed which is a metal shed at the moment and i noticed last night that it was quite damp and smelt a bit off than normal :? I have not checked in the light yet for mould spores but was wondering how can you keep such a large bale fresh? would it be better off in a wooden shed?

Hopefully when I get my wooden Piggy shed there will be room to store the hay , but will it still go damp and 'off' ? :?
 
I pull my bales apart and place them into black bags, it seems to keep it dry and fresh. One bale usually takes up 7 bags though x
 
a wooden shed would be better. also they need to be off the ground ideally by about 10 or 12 inches and not squashed against the walls, so that air can circulate.

it is also best not to store hay in the same shed that piggies live in
 
Just bagged up all of my bale , 10 bin bags :shock:
I don't think it is actually mouldy was just a bit damp but hopefully should be fine in the bags now ? {:|
 
if its in a metal roof type shed/garage then put a waterproof cover resting over the top of the bale, i had a lot of problems with condensation dripping on to the hay causing it to go off.
Maybe store it in a large cardboard box or paper bags (like large potato sacks,***make sure no potato bits in bag though as i believe potatoes are poisonous to piggy's!***) if possible as the plastic bin bags can also be prone to condensation.

mine i buy a big bale & store it in a shed in a huge cardboard box that just fits a bale in it.
i usually keep taking sections off of the bale & put it into a bin bag (to keep handy in the girls shed), but as soon as i have a little room in both i pull both apart slightly to get the air circulating round it a bit, so its not compacted too long as that can make it go mouldy quicker.

Also pulling the hay apart outside & decanting it into a smaller bag helps to get rid of a bit more dust, although the bales i buy are not particularly dusty anyway.

try & keep the hay stored in a dry place where the temperature doesn't fluctuate or where the sun shines on it if in plastic bags as this causes moisture & mould problems.

Basically store in a dry environment with plenty of air circulation.

Sorry if i ramble! hope this helps? ?/
 
I store mine in a wooden shed...stack them up but dont wrap them or anything like that :) then I fill a huge plastic bag from H4Ps and use that to ferry hay from shed to garden! :)
 
Be careful with regards to storing hay. Make sure wherever it is is well ventilated and condensation doesn't develop, hay can spontaneously catch fire relatively easily.. I know a number of people whose hay in sheds (admittedly in larger quantities usually) has gone ablaze.

I don't mean that in a scaremonger-y way, just be careful not to allow it to get damp/mouldy and whatever you do, don't store it in with the pigs!
 
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