Need to keep my hay fresh, outside . . .

[chickenwhisperer]

Actually, I think the rabbits will prolly eat it all up before it becomes a problem.
I have gone thru almost 1/4 bale in 2 days already . . .
I do give them all the hay they want, trying to judge and balance with not being overly wasteful.

As far as price . . .
Timothy is a cool weather grass, and as such is harder to find in hot places like Ca and Fl.
Some areas around here do have some success, Im not sure if I got Ca bales or trucked in from out of state.
If I went to a feed store to get a bale of straight timothy, it would be $19.99 and up.

I believe these particular bales are the very best I could find, and the rabbits seem to wholeheartedly agree.

What I do is break off about a half a bale and spread in out in a large dryer/washer cardboard box, and refill that box as needed.
But my concern is now its gonna start getting cold and wet before too long.
I guess if I do find I have a problem, Ill just have to drag it all to the garage and use as needed from there.

Bottom line is . . . Hay is heavy

As a side note, I was also just given 5 more bales, mostly rye/oat but 1 bale of straight alfy.
Come to find out, one of the females I recently took in was preggers and I wasnt told or was lied to . . . I hear alfalfa is only good for nursing mothers and young.

Thanks for all the advice, I gotta go feed some rabbits.

 

[debilorrah]

All you people posting about expensive hay? Alfalfa #2 here is $9.50 a bale. So please (take this the right way) shut up!!!!

 

[patandchickens]

Indoors is by far the best (NOT against a wall or in a corner -- leave at least a few inches airspace -- and definitely up on pallets). If you can't store it all indoors at first, you may be able to once you'v used some of it up.

If you must store it outdoors under a tarp, raise the tarp up off the surface of the hay. The simplest arrangement is to cover the hay with a layer of pallets (or, in your case for just a coupla bales, probably "a" pallet, with a piece of 2x4 or something put under one edge of the pallet so that it is tipped to encourage rain to run off the top of the tarp. Other better arrangements are also possible. The hay should also be up ON at least one, preferably 2-3, layers of pallets to keep it well off the ground.

It is better to err on the side of too much exposure to sun/wind/weather than to seal the hay up too tight in a tarp wrap.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Akane]

Bottom line is . . . Hay is heavy wink

I used to move 30 of these a week between buildings, haul 1 a day down the 50' aisle to the individual stalls, and drag 2 a day outside to the hay area in the pasture shelter. Hay is not that heavy.

One bale every now and then for rabbits wouldn't be much work. If nothing else you can split the bale in half to carry or if the ground is frozen and not muddy you can drag a bale. They also fit in large wheel barrows but really that's more difficult than just carrying it unless you really can't lift that kind of weight or you split the bale up so it sits more evenly.​

 

[patandchickens]

Remember that hay bale weight, even if all we're talking about is small square bales, varies GREATLY by type of hay, part of country, and baler adjustment.

I've dealt with some loosely-baled extra-small grass hay bales that were reliably only about 30-35 lbs each.

California-style small squares of alfalfa can easily top 100 lbs each.

Big difference, trying to tote 'em around

Pat

 

[Akane]

Ours are usually 50-80lbs. I do have some problems with moving the 80lb ones since I don't have enough weight to counter balance if I have to throw them. I went to toss one out of the back of the truck and ended up following it down. Those I usually break in half, tie one of the strings tightly around each half, and carry them that way if the ground is too muddy to drag them.

 

[fancy]

Shut up??????????? Is that the way you talk to people??????