For others that keep hay outside under a tarp, what do you do if the hay gets wet and the forecast calls for rain all week/no time to dry it out? How long does it take for mold to set in? The new ranch where I board is the first time I’ve had to keep hay outside so this is a new situation for me.
how is the hay bailed, and how tight?
The bails are pretty compact, I’d definitely say they’re on the tighter end— and they’re ~100lb square bails
If it is wet feed it immediately. If you don’t it’s trash. That’s my rule with hay. I don’t want to deal with heaves or colic.
Hay molds quickly if the water has penetrated the bales. Sometimes you are okay- dew on hay left in the truck overnight is probably okay as long as it dries.
Depending on how it’s stacked you may loose the outer bales but the inner bales may be okay.
In general leaving hay under a tarp is just asking for mold. I have a tent stall- just a tarp for a ceiling. My hay lasts 1 week and does get some water due to rain. I usually dump the moldy hay on the bottom in the compost pile.
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square bales, even well baled, have very little resistance to rain, so I’m afraid it will mold rather quickly if it got exposed to a drenching. It may not be apparent on the outside, but once you open the bale you’ll see white clouds of mold spores.
Can you find a shipping container, and would the barn owner allow you to place one on the farm? Tarps are simply a losing battle. Or fill your garage, and bring xx bales over for the week. Your car is better suited for being out in the rain than the hay.
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Feed it immediately. Use it for mulch. If too much advertise it as mulch hay.
a big problem with tarpping hay that is setting on the ground even on a pallet is ground moisture condensing to the under side of the tarp during temperature changes since the tarp is a perm barrier
there should be a perm barrier under whatever the hay is place upon
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Is this why I was taught to put tarps under the pallets of hay if tarps were going over the top?
I keep some hay stacked in my open air carport like that and it’s stayed good. I do regularly lift the edge of the top tarp and give it a good shake to roll off any accumulated moisture and freshen the air under the tarp.
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Ours are also on pallets to keep them off the ground.
Round bales can be kept outside. The rain ruins the outer layers. The inside stays good.
Can you buy a shed? Like this one https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hanover-Hanover-Outdoor-Compact-Galvanized-Steel-Patio-Storage-Shed-for-Tools-Equipment-Garden-Supplies-with-2-Sliding-Doors-52-cu-ft-Capacity-Galvanized-Steel-HANCOMSHD-GRY/5000499345
Or this one
I stored my hay in the second one for years, zero issues with rain or moisture. It held a lot of hay too. The first one is a lot smaller but would still hold probably 8-10ish bales. Mine came with a raised floor, but even pallets should work ok.
I will feed hay that has been rained on that day. I don’t feed any that’s sat for longer than 24h wet.
My hay has pallets with tarps underneath the pallets and tarps on top…it’s still getting wet on the bottom so I guess this explains why. So far I have no other option since the ranch doesn’t feed the the type of hay my horse needs, so I make the 40 minute drive there every day to check the hay for mold and throw away whatever got wet until I can get a shed. Fun times, lol. I’m in southern CA so it doesn’t rain often, but now that it is I’m definitely learning a lesson.
