Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Haystackedoutdoorsshouldbeplacedonpalletsandcoveredwithawaterprooftarp.
Outdoor Hay Storage
Although the best way to store a supply of hay is in a separate building, your budget might
dictate that the hay be stored outdoors, at least temporarily until a hay barn is completed.
First select a level, well-drained site in a convenient location to distribute the hay for feed-
ing. The stack can be placed to offer some degree of wind protection for animals, but in
cold-winter regions, the protected side can end up with deep snow from drifting.
Rather than stacking hay on bare ground, place it on pallets so the bottom layer will
remain dry. Used pallets are often available free or very inexpensively from feed mills,
lumberyards, or cement plants. In lieu of pallets, 2x4s or 4x4s can be set up side by side
and the bales placed to span them.
Stack the bales tightly together, alternating the direction of the bales every two or three
layers so that the stack is more stable. If you are planning to cover the hay with a tarp, fin-
ish your stacking with a ridge of bales on the top rather than with a flat top. The resulting
peak will help water and snow run off the tarp rather than accumulating on top and possibly
leaking through.
