# Hay shelter advice



## Palmettokat

I need hay shelter build this spring and have some various questions.

Based upon best estimates and looking to build about 2400 or 2500 square feet with 16 feet eves. Think will have to forgo walls and use tarps for a year or two till the hay is paying it's way. Based upon best estimates again when all land is in coastal (total between 35 and 40 acres) will need over twice that amount. Will be baling small square bales and possibly some round bales. Plan to stack hay with hay grapple on tractor. Tractor I think will be able to stack 10 bales high based upon best measurements could get. I figured that would be 140 inches high.

My questions: I was leaning toward a 50 by 50 shelter and today had a builder recommend going narrow so air could move through the hay to keep it cool. So what width do you recommend? I want the ends to be the entrance points and not the sides.

I see some hay barns that look tight, walls to ground and to the roof. So how does air move through them?

Or if you let the hay dry properly before balling are you safe?

Would your recommend 40 or 50 feet width one over the other?

Would you recommend one large barn or two smaller barns in case of hay fire or for any other reason? Right now my hay will be in two different locations but only about 1/2 mile apart.

Talked with two different companies today, one quoted me pole barn with 8 by 8 post installed for $11,000 40 by 60 by 16. The other guy builds red iron and just based upon our short conversation expect that to be at least twice that price, for sure I like the first price. Any suggestions here? The poles will be dug down 4 feet with rebar installed crossed through the post and concrete filling I think 18" square holes. Barn will be about 20 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean and yes we are subject to hurricane force winds from time to time. FYI, snow very little concern.

Floor will be dirt for a while but every body has said use pallets and so far getting them is going slow. So may need some other system to get the hay off the ground and for air flow. But is dirt floor built up okay or is crushed stone or asphalt better? I think they were recommended over concrete due to sweating.

If I build where I want to will be my cost to run electricity to it, with walls is lights on tractor enough or do you need lights in the building? Would clear light panels at the top of the walls solve that need? Would have to run line at least 500 feet, maybe further which would not be a major problem to bury line for that. Would require large wire for such a long run.

I do plan to install sides and ends with doors when can afford to but not right now. So thankful have a great friend who raises hay and has all equipment for baling. There is a large upfront need for equipment and storage in hay. I really appreciate you all, you have given me some great advice already.


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## Vol

You can manage without power, I do not have power in my largest building for safety reasons and because it is the furthest from access. Tractor lights will most likely be sufficient if you need access after dark.

40 foot widths are very common and truss price may be a consideration when calculations are made.

If you are entering from the narrow ends of the barn, you can leave those doors open for a couple of weeks to induce better air flow while the hay is going thru its general heat. Some preservatives really reduce heating drastically.

Two barns, maybe one for rounds and one for smalls are usually better....if for no other reason than not having all your eggs in one basket.

Crushed stone works well, but you should be able to get some good plastic pallets for about $4...typically they are around 43"x43". I use 4 per 10 bale grab. They work very well. I buy mine at a reclamation center in NC.

If you use metal trusses, they can be bolted to the poles. The side facing East (Atlantic) will really need to be tight....driving rains can be a disaster. As I mentioned in the beginning, I would use sliding doors for the ends and control ventilation with them.....having them securely fastened when left open.

Good luck.

Regards, Mike


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## Palmettokat

Thanks Mike, I like sliding doors. On pallets I have wondered if you had pallets the size of your ten bales would that be a plus for loading trailer over grapple of course that would be an added expense if the pallets are not coming back.


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## somedevildawg

Palmettokat said:


> Thanks Mike, I like sliding doors. On pallets I have wondered if you had pallets the size of your ten bales would that be a plus for loading trailer over grapple of course that would be an added expense if the pallets are not coming back.


Don't go and send your pallets out......I use pallets (wooden,as I get them for free...) most are CHP pallets (blue) but they don't leave the barn. It may sound easier, but it ain't.....good luck on your barn Kat....


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## swmnhay

Using tarps where you get hurricane force winds will be "Gone with the Wind"


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## broadriverhay

My barn is 36 feet wide , this allows me to stack hay with grapple 5 stacks wide. Keep that in mind. 40 feet wide might not give enough clearance to get 6 stacks wide thus just wasting space . Just keep that in mind. I use 6 mil plastic and loose hay thrown on top of it to get the hay from drawing moisture. I don’t like moving pallets around all the time.


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## Palmettokat

swmnhay said:


> Using tarps where you get hurricane force winds will be "Gone with the Wind"


solid walls could have BARN "Gone with the Wind". Honestly even a roof with no wall could be gone.

I like this...funny that movie was on my mind this weekend. Every American should see this movie. My opinion. Has two of the best lines I have ever seen in any movie.


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## Palmettokat

broadriverhay said:


> My barn is 36 feet wide , this allows me to stack hay with grapple 5 stacks wide. Keep that in mind. 40 feet wide might not give enough clearance to get 6 stacks wide thus just wasting space . Just keep that in mind. I use 6 mil plastic and loose hay thrown on top of it to get the hay from drawing moisture. I don't like moving pallets around all the time.


I have a friend who does the same on plastic and hay and has good results. On the width, I measured my grapple and it is (if memory form yesterday is still good) is 6 and 1/2 feet wide. I come up with just over 6 times that width with 40 foot width. I will go back and remeasure to be sure for as you pointing out do not need wasted width.


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## Palmettokat

broadriverhay, Okay you have me wondering on width. Was not 100% sure on width and remeasured it. I assume you know the old saying measure twice and cut once, well it is also measure twice and remember correctly. I looked at the grapple carefully and the full width is 81 1/2 inches wide. I missed measuring the two outside guides but even if they were removed it is still that wide for the mounts are still there.

I am open to help on this math and reasoning here: the grapple is rounded 82 inches wide, that is is 6 full widths inside of 40 feet width. The hay bales are 18 inches wide and when you measure the stacked hay with the guide tubes removed and bales pushed together I would think the stack would be near 6 feet wide, maybe little wider. Now if 5 columns of hay is say 6 1/2 feet wide that is 390 inches leaving 90 inches for the grapple at 82 inches to set the last column of hay.

Have no real experience in stacking hay and not sure thinking the bales will be squeezed to 6 1/2 feet wide or 78".

Thoughts and recommendations?


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## broadriverhay

I will have to measure the actual inside dimensions of my barn. I probably have about 18 inches to spare down the right side after stacking 5 stacks. I don’t think you want to get much tighter than that. You have to be able to get in there to get them back out without hitting the wall with the mirrors . I will do some measuring and get back to you on Saturday.


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## Palmettokat

broadriverhay, man I keep getting amazed what I miss,had not even thought about how close the tractor could get to the wall! The benefit of experience shows again. Now go measure the tractor and be sure you are at the widest point.


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## broadriverhay

Last year I put over 3000 bales in the barn in 3 days and about 9000 for the year. Not many guys have the barn in the field so not many do it the way I do. Most have to haul to the barn on trailers and then unload. Having that clearance on the right side is a must the way I see it.


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## broadriverhay

5 stacks measured 33 1/2 feet. The barn is 35 feet wide inside measurement. This clearance has worked out well.


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## broadriverhay

Barn loaded with about 4000 bales and also a picture while putting bales in the barn at about 10 o’clock one night. LED lights really paying off.


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## Ranger518

broadriverhay said:


> Barn loaded with about 4000 bales and also a picture while putting bales in the barn at about 10 o'clock one night. LED lights really paying off.


What size is your barn?


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## Palmettokat

Broadriver thank you very much. I appreciate all your input. If I counted correctly you are stacking 9 bales high, The best I can tell you have the ray rotated between the rows, is that correct? If so how do you do that?


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## Palmettokat

Broadway, I am so glad you brought of the width of the building into question. I have done a good bit of checking on my end and using your numbers and come to the same result with both..not a good width. Thank you very much for helping me make a big mistake. Kenneth


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## broadriverhay

I just pick up the stack in the orientation I want it. With the grapple on the back of my tractor I pick up the stacks with the tie bales nearest the tractor on the front and the back. That way I put the front stack in the barn first then pick up the rear stack with the front grapple and put it in the barn . This method gives me the alternating stacks. I have to get a few stacks in the barn first to get the process started, but the method works great.


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## broadriverhay

Barn is 36 X 80 X14.


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## Ranger518

broadriverhay said:


> Barn is 36 X 80 X14.


Wow 4,000 bales that's stacking them tight.


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## broadriverhay

Actually 3960 but could get 4050 but doing that seems to make the stacks a little more unstable. 440 on each stack just works out better.


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## Palmettokat

broadriverhay said:


> I just pick up the stack in the orientation I want it. With the grapple on the back of my tractor I pick up the stacks with the tie bales nearest the tractor on the front and the back. That way I put the front stack in the barn first then pick up the rear stack with the front grapple and put it in the barn . This method gives me the alternating stacks. I have to get a few stacks in the barn first to get the process started, but the method works great.


Feel like I am wearing you out with questions and sorry if I am. If I am following you have accumulator/grapple on your fel. Looking at picture with the lights looks like or a lot like the Maxilator I have. I assume you use it to get the bales in the 10 bale bundle and then when you do the stacking you remove all but one of the side guides and that allows you to lift the bundle from either end? This from a person who has used an accululator/grapple maybe 45 minutes. Again thank you


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## paoutdoorsman

broadriverhay is using a Parrish accumulator behind the baler which accumulates the 10 bale packs while baling. Then he is just grabbing and moving the packs with a loader mounted grapple, and a 3 pt mounted grapple that he recently built. The 3 pt grapple reduces the field to barn trips by half. There is only one guide on the far right hand side of a typical grapple.


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## Palmettokat

paoutdoorsman,

thankyou


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## broadriverhay

That's right . I am working nightshift so that's why I am not replying to anything during the day. But paoutdoorsman is exactly right.


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