# Unrolling bales



## 20156point7 (Apr 7, 2015)

I have found that the best way to feed hay for me is to take the bales to the top of a hill and let them roll off and unroll. Some of the bales unroll good and others don't. I do not have a 3pt bale unroller, what are some tips for unrolling the bales. Do they need to be turned a certain way?


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Yes they will only unroll well one way. Hard to explain without a picture but if you look at the bale from the side you will see the hay stems all going in the same direction around the bale in a circle. You need to face the bale with the stems pointing in the direction you want it to unroll and it should unroll easily.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Yes. If they don't unroll easy, they are facing the wrong way.

Look @ a roll of paper towels. That is how your bale is.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

I might add that SOME bales just will not unroll nicely. When (seldom) I bale BR bales, my windrows are too small and I go too slow when baling. I get (I think) tighter/more solid bales. Instead of having a bale that looks like the above-mentioned paper towels, mine are not so much. They WILL still unroll if rolling in the correct directions, but will not leave a nice even path of hay behind them.

73, Mark


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

You need to unroll them the opposite direction that they were rolled up. I use my tractors frt tire(2 WD) to unroll bales that on rare occasions don't get wrapped correctly during baling process.


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## 20156point7 (Apr 7, 2015)

Thanks for the help. I will try and see which way the stems are today when I roll one out.


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## Redbaler (Jun 10, 2011)

Frontier makes about the best unroller for the price. ~ $1000 Most net wrap has a different stripe pattern to help you see witch way the bale was rolled up without having to find the net tail. If I remember correctly with the john deere net that I use when I back up to the bale I want the side with more white on the right.


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## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

Trotwood2955 said:


> Yes they will only unroll well one way. Hard to explain without a picture but if you look at the bale from the side you will see the hay stems all going in the same direction around the bale in a circle. You need to face the bale with the stems pointing in the direction you want it to unroll and it should unroll easily.


Stems will point the direction it should unroll if you look at the ones on the top half of bale. If it is hard to tell which way the stems point, then pinch a little hay with your fingers (on the side, top half) and pull until some stems pull out. The first stems to pull out, should point the direction.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I have three prongs on my bale spear, I simply drive up to the bale and roll the loader back and give em a "flip" and they'll unroll pretty nice.

Look at it like this, you're unrolling it in the right direction if your string or net will come off when rolling it that direction.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

20156point7 said:


> I have found that the best way to feed hay for me is to take the bales to the top of a hill and let them roll off and unroll. Some of the bales unroll good and others don't. I do not have a 3pt bale unroller, what are some tips for unrolling the bales. Do they need to be turned a certain way?


That's how I unroll on the hills at Shiner...

I look and see which direction the hay was rolled in the baler (clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on which end of the bale is on the spears), and then put the "leaned over" stalk ends on the bottom of the bale pointing uphill on the bottom of the bale, and pointing downhill on top of the bale...

That way the bale should unroll the opposite as it was rolled up (like pulling tape or tinfoil off a roll). Basically, the bale is rolling "backwards" down the hill from how it was rolled up in the baler. If you try to unroll it with the bale rolling the SAME DIRECTION it did inside the baler, it usually doesn't work well (unless the hay was very short and the bale is almost 'falling apart' once you take the strings or net off it). It'd be like trying to pull tape off the roll the same direction it was rolled up... end end just wants to flap, not lay on the ground and be left behind and start unrolling)

I don't have an unroller either, but I find that if I take a bale to the top of the hill, set it down on the edge of the slope, cut the strings off and remove them, then use the tractor loader (or rear forks depending on what tractor I'm using) I can give them a "flip" by putting the spears or forks down just off the ground, and picking them up as I move the tractor toward the bale... this will usually get the bale rolling downhill pretty well... sometimes I do this 2-3 times as the bale unrolls, until I get it down to about 2-3 feet in diameter... then I park the tractor and get off and unroll it the rest of the way by hand or pushing it with my foot...

With the tractor and front end loader, I find that once I get it rolling, I can usually keep it rolling by bumping the middle of the bale with the front tire of the tractor... you have to weave a bit so that the tire hits the center of the bale without the end of the bale hitting the loader frame or other stuff sticking out in front of the front axle, though... bit of practice and it works good, at least down until the bale hits that 1-2 foot diameter and the tire tends to "grab" it and try to "jump over it"... then I stop and finish unrolling it by hand (or foot, actually, and usually just a few pushes with my boot will get it rolling and I can walk along on the hay and keep it rolling...

Hope this helps! OL JR


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## 20156point7 (Apr 7, 2015)

All of my bales are unrolling great now. Thanks for all the input.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

Triple C Inc. has some of the best hay unrolling equipment made

http://www.triple-c-inc.com/hydra-bed

http://www.triple-c-inc.com/tractor-mount


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

prairie said:


> Triple C Inc. has some of the best hay unrolling equipment made
> 
> http://www.triple-c-inc.com/hydra-bed
> 
> http://www.triple-c-inc.com/tractor-mount


Yep, we looked at those here on haytalk a couple of years ago....they do seem well built and very handy.

Regards, Mike


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

A neighbor built an unroll-er he says does pretty good. He shortened a trailer axle where the tires will fit the bale & welded a channel to it where he slips it over the forks, (fork lift type) on his FEL, & drops a pin in to keep it in place. The tires, up off the ground, roll while pushing the bale.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Yeah I built something like that for the 2310 Ford... basically a pair of 4 inch channel iron "prongs" that bolt to the front axle and stick out the front, with a pair of old cultivator hubs and some bare rims bolted to them... drive up to the bale, bump up against it, and push-- the bale rolls along and the rims roll backwards... Only problem is, on the front, it tends to put a lot of straw and duff onto the radiator grill...

Later! OL JR


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