How do you store hay properly?

Question

Is it okay to cover with a tarp to prevent it from getting wet, or is it supposed to be in the open air to breath? I have a tarp over it now but the front is exposed.

Answer 1

Hay should be stored in a barn or building to keep it from weather elements.  You don'r need to cover it unless it is near an open window where rain could enter

Answer 2

If you store hay outside, absolutely cover it to keep it from getting wet.  The  moisture that sets in will cause mold if the hay isn't used right away after getting wet.  If you can store it somewhere with a solid roof and at least three sides it's much better, but as long as the tarp has no holes in it that let water in you should be ok

Answer 3

WTG Jeff!  You're the only answerer that mentioned getting the hay off the ground!

Anyway, my own two cents here in California is that our "small bales" weigh anywhere from 100-135 pounds and we generally store it either in a shed up on pallets or on the pallets themselves covered by a tarp and tied or weighed down on the ends without much of a problem.

Answer 4

Hay will keep for years if it is stacked in a shed out of the weather. If the hay has been rained on, it becomes damp on the inside and starts to rot. If you stack the hay when damp, heat will build up in the middle. This build up of heat can cause the stack to catch on fire.

If the hay is dry, then put it in a shed if possible.

Answer 5

I don't think I'd keep a tarp on it all the time unless I had it salted down, though with the tarp not covering the front it is able to breathe better than if it was completely covered.  The salt will draw the moisture and keep it from going moldy -- we live in hot and humid central IL and salt all our hay down before it goes in the barn.

Answer 6

the hay can not get wet or the horses can die from moldey wet or dustey hay and if it does get wet you need to keep it out side till it dries because it can start a fire  

Answer 7

A temporary tarp cover is okay for a short time if it is to keep the hay from being rained on before it can be moved to a well ventilated dry shelter but a tarp should never be used for long term storage. Hay needs dry storage with good ventilation to prevent mold and rot and a tarp will trap humidity. That humidity will condense then when it cools and it will be absorbed by the hay. Without good ventilation then the hay will mold and rot.

Answer 8

i would try to keep it inside....ours is in the barn we layed down tarps then palets(spelled wrong?haha) and then just stack the hay....basically if it is off the ground and away from any moisture i think it will be fine

Answer 9

What kind of bales and what climate are you in?  If you are talking about small square bales you will loose too much that way especially if you have them on the ground in most areas.  They need to be off the ground and in the dry.  I store round bales outside and sometimes store the large square bales outside off the ground with a tarp over them.  However they are packed tighter and when it rains MUCH less water gets inside than with small square bales.

If you have round bales the best thing to do (provided you can not store them inside) is to put poles or pallets under them to get them off the ground and then stack them end to end (tightly as possible). Then cover with plastic sheet.  This will save most of it with little waste.  They can be left uncovered in drier climates.

Small squares need to go inside if possible but stored well off the ground with a good tarp over the top can work for short periods.  I have never had much luck storing them long term this way as the tarp tends to get blown off or torn before winter is over.  You will need them completely covered if possible.  So under the tarp put a sheet of heavy plastic that covers the front.  Again it is better to get them inside if possible.

Answer 10

Tarps are okay for short term storage, but without adequate air flow around the hay, moisture will accumulate and eventually mold will develop.  It must be stored off of the ground on skids, and the tarps have to completely cover it.  Even if it is in a barn, if the floors are not concrete, moisture will enter the hay from the ground.  Even on concrete, skids are advised to allow air flow brom beneath.  Round bales must be stored inside as well, and can't sit out for over 3 days once fed.  I boarded at a barn where 7 horses colicked, and 2 died after the owner used round bales outside to feed the horses.  The hay only stays good for 3 days maximum when it's out in the weather....you need to be sure there are enough horses to finish it within that time frame.  The owner of the barn was sued and lost...the cause of the colics was mold and toxicity from the round bales and the improper handling of those bales.  They had been stored inside by the supplier, so the barn owner was held fully responsible.

The best storage is off the ground and inside.

Answer 11

You can store it a long time so long as it was bailed dry and kept dry. Damp hay molds and mold means big trouble for the horse IF she'll eat it.

Answer 12

If you are going to store your hay outside, then a tarp is a perfect way to cover it.  If the front remains exposed, maybe you want to get a second.  Also, don't let the hay sit on the ground.  I usually put a piece of plastic down first (if it tends to get wet in that area) and on top of that I put one or sometimes two layers of skids. This allows air to move through below and the extra height keeps water off the bottom bales, preventing molding.