Need ideas for quick hay shelter

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I need to put up a quick hay shelter for winter. We get rain..no snow. Lots of wind too. I have my hay on a couple pallets right now, and have been covering with a tarp when it looks like rain. I do have a stack of I think 4 old pallets I could use...any ideas....I need to keep about 3 or 4 bales at a time. We have the big 125 lb. or so bales here. I aprreciate hearing how you would do this...I plan to build a "real" hay shelter as soon as funds allow...hopefully before spring.

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 04, 2001

Answers

Pallets work fabulously. I put some down, drove in some metal fence posts around the perimeter of them, put more pallets against THOSE (on edge and wired them together) and made a rudimentary "box." Be sure to "tie" your bales in. Criss/cross them when stacking. I then covered it with a tarp. The dogs and chickens like to get under it too so don't be too suprised when they yawn and stare at you from under it. Secure it down with twine or baler wire. I stored 20-30 bales at a time under it. Cheap, cheap, cheap. And, p.s. by the way, it IS a real hay shelter. It's real and it works. (smiles)

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), October 04, 2001.

Hi Jenny,have you ever seen the shelters made with livestock fence? I took two pannels and 6 t posts....hammer in 3 posts along one side first{space them out by laying the pannels down} then take pannel #1 and weave it onto the first 2 posts Take pannel #2 and weave it on to the 2nd and third posts. Bend the pannels to forum an arch what ever height you need and hammer in the 3 posts for that side. Weave the pannels just like side #1. Get a good tarp and cover the whole thing tie down well and you have a shelter. It is hard to weave the pannels but I found by stepping down on them one side at a time it goes fairly well.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), October 04, 2001.

We have a small barn and all the hay we made up did NOT fit in the barn so we had to come up with another idea also. We are using the pallets and tarping them BUT the biggest mistake I made was trying to save money and so I bought the mid size tarps instead of the largest one (30ft.). We tried over lapping the smaller tarps and fastening them but the wind and rain did not stay out and we lost alot of bales to the rain. We wised up quick and bought the largest tarp and have had no problems since then. This isn't when you should try to save any money - you'll lose it in the hay in the long run.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), October 04, 2001.

No matter what you come up with, this from somebody who has her hay barn stuffed and has 40 bales on the guest house porch :) But if you tarp it make sure the tarp isn't in contact with the bales. This can cause mold. The cattle panel hoops do work great, just get it anchored if you have alot of wind. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), October 04, 2001.

Hello Jenny,

The pallet idea (being a freebie) sounds great! But do You know how to make a tarp instead of buying 'factory made'? Cheap muslin sewn together to the desired size can be MUCH cheaper than even economy tarps. Just waterproof the muslin with a couple coats of inexpensive latex paint. It really works!

A hoop house can also be made almost free. Use appropriate sized saplings to form the arches. Start a hole on a slight diagonal AWAY fron the center of the arch. Insert the sapling butt into the hole & while bending it into the center, braid and tie off to the top of another sapling from the opposite side. Make a line of sapling arches or wickets to the legnth needed, tying a sapling or saplings down the middle to act as a center beam. Tie or weave additional saplings on the sides to reinforce the structure. Use cross beams (saplings) on the ends about head high. Cover with Muslin 'tarp' and secure. I lived 3 1/2 months in a wegiwa made this way.

I'm considering using the same framework over a couple mulch beds this winter with plastic covers to make 'greenhouses' for rabbits and transplants/starts. The same framework will become support for vining flowers and vegs after removing the plastic cover this Spring. I hope the foliage will provide a micro-climate in Summer cool enough for 'gourmet' lettuces and other cool weather crops. I'll cover it again next Fall for 'free range' rabbits &/or chickens to clean and fertilize the beds. *grin* That's the plan, anyway!!!

Hope this helps!!

Randle

-- Randle Gay (rangay@hotmail.com), October 05, 2001.



One place you might try for free tarps are the building supply businesses; most of the exterior products require some cover, and when they are sold, the tarp remains there to dispose of. Ask the store owner; you might get a couple of free covers. And all of us can afford free.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 05, 2001.

Thanks so much you guys...I am working on this TODAY! Before the rainy season starts. We do get alot of wind here ( we are on a hill) and I love all the tips and ideas....Thanks!! Jenny

-- Jenny (auntjenny@aol.com), October 05, 2001.

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