Hay Barn Ideas?

[Wick]

I am thinking of putting up a barn/shed for storing more of my hay. I use a krone baler making 4x4 bales. I can stack them 4 high. What are some thoughts on size and design for this type of barn. I would like to get 200-300 bales inside. Just wandering what others have done and how they did it. Currently using tarps but still have lots of waste. Seems to me the barn/shed will pay for itself after a few years by saving money on not having all the loss of hay.

 

[bigbull338]

I am thinking of putting up a barn/shed for storing more of my hay. I use a krone baler making 4x4 bales. I can stack them 4 high. What are some thoughts on size and design for this type of barn. I would like to get 200-300 bales inside. Just wandering what others have done and how they did it. Currently using tarps but still have lots of waste. Seems to me the barn/shed will pay for itself after a few years by saving money on not having all the loss of hay.

id build a 40ft w by 60ft l by 20ft t.my math may not be right to the T.but if you built a barn like im thinking you can get 480 bales in it more or less.

 

[hurleyjd]

I am thinking of putting up a barn/shed for storing more of my hay. I use a krone baler making 4x4 bales. I can stack them 4 high. What are some thoughts on size and design for this type of barn. I would like to get 200-300 bales inside. Just wandering what others have done and how they did it. Currently using tarps but still have lots of waste. Seems to me the barn/shed will pay for itself after a few years by saving money on not having all the loss of hay.

I have been toying with the same idea. I have been thinking about a 40 X 40 Shed. Use 10 inch ibeams. Three in a row. There would be one post in the middle. Cover with steel purlins and sheet metal. Slope the shed so drainage will be down hill. provide drainage all around the outside. Go in from the high side. Cost approxmitaly $6000.

 

[R Leo]

Seems to me the barn/shed will pay for itself after a few years by saving money on not having all the loss of hay.

The current preaching at Texas A&M is that the best investment you can make is in a haybarn. From what is said at TAMU's Beef Cattle Short Course, properly baled and stored hay retains it's food value and palatability for an almost indefinte period of time.

 

[R Leo]

As far as design ideas, when I build our hay barn, I'll probably use some utility poles that are already on the property for a polebarn like structure with a corrugated tin roof and sides that extend down from the roof enough to shelter the bales...I may even wall all the way to the ground. I've had pretty good luck with having roof trusses manufactured and delivered to the farm so, the roof will be built using off-site manufactured trusses.

Dimensions would be integrals of roofing material sizes...ie: U-panel tin has 3' coverage so, my barn would be 30', 33', 36...' ...long. You get the picture?

 

[Cabo]

I'm going to build a 40" X 60' X 14" shed using steel trusses so that there will be no center post. Am planning to put down some plastic and then put some about 1" stone for the floor to keep moisture down. Any comments pro or con?

 

[Wick]

Any idea of costs? Do you have to have center poles if only using 6x6 posts.

 

[bigbull338]

Any idea of costs? Do you have to have center poles if only using 6x6 posts.

the use of center post depends on how wide your barn is going tobe.since your going to stack round bales in it.id try to put the poles on 20ft centers.so you wont lose to much stacking room.you dont want the roof weak or swaying.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Last year when a very selective mini-tornado trashed out our hay barn (21 x 36 x 10'), we put up a new barn. The new barn specs in general were:

• 1. 8" dia cresoted utility poles, 8 ft on center (perimeter and down middle).
  2. Raised roof to 12' high.
  3. Used double 2 x 6" treated lumber bolted to center poles for roof beam.
  4. Used treated 2 x 6" treated lumber for 12' span rafters, 4' on center.
  5. Perimeter 2 x 6" treated lumber bolted to perimeter poles for outside rim joists.
  6. Perimeter 2 x 6" treated lumber nailed horizontally to poles on perimeter 4' on center with #20 Galv Ringshank nails.
  7. Roof and walls out of Galvalume panels screwed with 1.5" screws with rubber washers.
  8. Double 5 x 10' doors on ends built on site.
  9. 6" Roof overhang.
  10. Re-graded "floor" slope for drainage and put hay bales on wooden pallets.

 

[dun]

The plastic and rock won;t work too well. Geotextile cloth and 2 inch rock would work much better

dun

 

[Cabo]

The plastic and rock won;t work too well. Geotextile cloth and 2 inch rock would work much better

dun

Thanks Dun, I'll use that.

Wick, if you were asking about the cost of mine, it is about $8500 including labor.

 

[Wick]

Cabo, did you do it yourself or have a company come in and put it up? I have been checking on the web on some package deals. One price you tell them what you want them to design, they bring in materials and build it for one money. I don't have the time to do it myself. Waiting on some quotes on a 40x60x14 barn with open end and another quote for one open side.

 

[Scotty]

Seems to me the barn/shed will pay for itself after a few years by saving money on not having all the loss of hay.

The current preaching at Texas A&M is that the best investment you can make is in a haybarn. From what is said at TAMU's Beef Cattle Short Course, properly baled and stored hay retains it's food value and palatability for an almost indefinte period of time.

I have heard that in one year you can lose 25% of your weight being left out in the weather. This come from Dr. Gill, extention beef specialist.

 

[preston39]

We have three barns. Built years ago and were here when purchased. We use them for the animals and equipment.

Years ago cheap tarps were not available. They are now... strong and durable. We store 5-700 round bales under tarps. Five wide and three high. Had some tarps for 6 years now and are still in good shape.

We are moving the storage area and just sold some timothy/clover/scirica/fescue mix..5 years old.... and it looked like it was put up yesterday.

Some advantages of Tarps vs barn;

Just as effective storage
If damaged ...not costly to replace
No Insurance cost
Can move the hay area with little work
Can increase/decrease size of hay area as needed
Less capital sitting idle(1/2 the time)
Almost void of upkeep and repairs
Leaves capital for production/profit purposes
Less suceptible to fire/wind damage costs

A building for tool and equipment storage is far more important.

Scotty...,

We have tested it...a minimum of 25% of hay is lost when stored outside.(more like 30%)

 

[tom4018]

We have three barns. Built years ago and were here when purchased. We use them for the animals and equipment.

Years ago cheap tarps were not available. They are now... strong and durable. We store 5-700 round bales under tarps. Five wide and three high. Had some tarps for 6 years now and are still in good shape.

We are moving the storage area and just sold some timothy/clover/scirica/fescue mix..5 years old.... and it looked like it was put up yesterday.

Some advantages of Tarps vs barn;

Just as effective storage
If damaged ...not costly to replace
No Insurance cost
Can move the hay area with little work
Can increase/decrease size of hay area as needed
Less capital sitting idle(1/2 the time)
Almost void of upkeep and repairs
Leaves capital for production/profit purposes
Less suceptible to fire/wind damage costs

A building for tool and equipment storage is far more important.

Scotty...,

We have tested it...a minimum of 25% of hay is lost when stored outside.(more like 30%)

What are you setting your hay on, rock, pallets or ???

Ever seen anybody use one of the hoop bulidings? The ones with the real heavy tarp trype cover.

 

[preston39]

Tom...,

We raise the are in the center 6-8" with dirt and slope to the sides. We trench the edge around the storage area. One set-up we have tarp on the ground. It must be rolled up and kept from being damaged by the tractor when retreaving hay. The rest we have used tractor tires to set the hay on. As we work the hay we spear the tires and move them aside...then replaced when the next storage cycle arrives.

We are doing something different this year...a moth ball in each tire before we store hay. We been told it will keep snakes out...the biggest problem...looking for mice,etc., no doubt. It is not unusual to find a copperhead, water moccosan,etc., wintering in a tire when we begin feeding. Nice thing is that they are cold, don't move and are easy to eliminate.

A neat by product are the rabbits. They make it their home and the 2 beagle pups head for the hay when allowed out and the chase begins. :lol: Thats fun, but they run the quail also who are there cleaning up the various seed...and when I am not ready with the shoot gun..thats not nice.

 

[preston39]

Yes. a neighbor nearby has two of the quansit(sp?) hut type framing with material stretched over the frame. Nice...works well.

 

[dcara]

Quick math check folks using Cabo's numbers.

40x60x14 barn = 33600 cuft
assume 90% filled = 30240 cuft of hay stored
assume 25% loss of hay if not stored = 7560 cuft of hay loss = 96 4x5 rolls
assume $35 cost per roll = $3370 savings.

If this was an anual event that gives about a 2.5 yr pay back time.

Comments?

 

[dcara]

Note that since this is all linear if you use only a 12% loss rate and only 45% fill rate each year then the paybaack time is 4 times longer or 10 years.

 

[lukem86]

my hay shed is going to be the new machine shed....going to invest in a wrapper... better feed and wont have to worry about rain as much when making it.... the cows dont seem to waste a bit when fed silage bales... just something to think about...