Ok, so my hay is currently stored in our garage. Apparently not the safest place to store hay as people tell me it can start fires easily and if sucks because our 3 car garage is now a 2 car garage then turned into a 1 car with the tractor stored in there.

We are "poor" due to mortgage/horses so I'm wondering if anyone out there has some good inexpensive hay storage ideas. We live on a hill so it's very windy here. My husband is not a horse person and he's been very patient so far with my brilliant plan to bring the horses home without a real barn (we have run-ins) but winter is coming and his car would really like to be in the garage too!

Any thoughts?

I work on a big barn and a little barn, our big barn uses a metal shed for hay storage, which has over 2000 bales year round. The little barn just has one of those cheap 200 sheds that look like a giant dog house lol
Never had any problems with hay fires and i live on the sc coast hot hot hot summers and cold cold winters

 

The horses don't need to be inside as long as your fencing allows them to bum up against a building out of the wind. They'd rather do that anyway. Some people buy those plastic shelters and set the hay on pallets. If you have hay on the garage floor the moisture will soon have it rotting.

 

I have a garage full of hay stored on pallets. I heard that a rich hay such as alfalfa is combustible, but otherwise grass hay is OK stored that way with ventilation.

 

Pallets and good quality tarp might be an option.

 

I have a garage full of hay stored on pallets.

That makes me feel better, I'm not the only one! I'll get some pallets to help prevent molding etc. I didn't think of that. Thanks

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Hay is liable to combustion when it hasn't been dried thoroughly, or is put away green.

If it was properly dried, you should be fine with it in the garage.... just keep oil, gas, and other flammables away from it (Obviously) as it can also contaminate the hay (again, Captain Obvious here).

By putting it up on pallets, you also keep it from getting wet, and it stays up off any previous "garage floor dirties".

 

You can "salt" your hay as well. Between layers of the small square bales, throw some pickling salt over it. Helps to keep it dry and the horses love it. This year I have used free-running iodized salt as an experiment. Haven't used much hay yet though, so it's too soon to tell if it makes a difference what kind of salt is used.

 

Interesting! Makes sense. Maybe I'll pull those bales apart and put some salt down. How much is "some"? A handful? Storing in the garage is new for me, just need a reserve supply with the shortage this year.

 

We don't have any building to store hay so we just stack it outside with tarps over top. We are going to get a portable garage/carport to put it in for the winter. They run about $400 to $500.
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Outnabout - I'd say about 2 handfuls for three bales of hay. Roughly. I stock in several hundred bales and just grab a handful of salt and throw it out until I've dusted the layer.

 

As stated concrete will sweat & mold your hay so pallets are a must. If your hay was not damp when put up you should be fine.

 

The pallets at a construction site + tarp = my hay shelter.