Bales of hay may seem like a faded memory by late winter, but properly stored hay is crucial for ensuring a steady supply for your livestock. Summer’s hard work baling hay is long past, and with the finished hay safely under cover, it’s easy to put it out of your mind, other than the slow process of feeding. But maybe you shouldn’t get too lax—late winter is an excellent time to check on the safety of your hay stock and ensure your hay storage remains intact.
Storing Hay Can Invite Pests
During a recent cold snap, I didn’t access my main hay storage barn (half a mile away) for about ten days, instead feeding my animals on hay reserves that I stashed closer to home. When the weather finally warmed back up, I returned to the hay barn for a restock.
Surprise, surprise, during my absence an opportunistic rabbit had discovered a small crack in the barn wall and had apparently spent the entire cold snap enjoying my supply of square bales of hay. Not only did the rabbit leave many, many calling cards all over the barn floor, but he had also even climbed well up the stack of hay, depositing droppings as high as ten feet.
Luckily I caught this problem before it could become too bad. A brief repair sealed off the entrance, and I cleaned up the mess. But this rather humorous episode could’ve been more damaging if I hadn’t caught the problem quickly. If left unchecked, messes like this can easily ruin valuable bales of hay, making them unsuitable for animal feed. Making hay is far too much effort to be wrecked by wild critters!
What Animals Are Attracted to Bales of Hay?
Many different animals will try to move into a cozy hay storage barn. Squirrels, rabbits, mice, voles, and raccoons—all of them will try burrowing into bales of hay, while troublesome pigeons might roost above. The amount of damage caused by these critters can range from a minor nuisance to quite damaging. As already mentioned, rabbits can cause a costly mess, as can pigeons—sometimes ruining many bales of hay. Keeping an eye on any signs of occupancy gives you the chance to stop the issue before it gets out of hand—and it’s easy to miss in late winter if you aren’t paying attention.
Hay Storage Challenges in Late Winter
There are other things to keep an eye on in your hay storage barn. In regions with heavy snowfalls, it’s not uncommon for tiny leaks in the building—or even ventilation points—to become access points for wind-blown snow. A wintry blizzard with high winds can drive small amounts of snow into your barn and onto your bales of hay, where it will melt later in the season, possibly creating a mold issue. High winds can peel away roofing or siding, allowing snow to pile in. Checking on your barn after a snowfall ensures your bales of hay remain dry and mold-free before any melting snow seeps in and causes damage. The same goes for any round bales of hay stored outdoors—check plastic covers and other protection to make sure they’re still functioning properly deep into winter. Remember, the first few inches of a round bale—the most vulnerable to moisture—contain the most amount of hay.
Frost buildup is another reason to check your hay storage during late winter. If your hay storage shares a wall with livestock housing, or if there is any kind of heat source in an adjacent portion of the barn, frost can begin to form on the wall during very cold weather. Frost like this can soak precious amounts of hay.
Conclusion
The bottom line? Late winter is a good time to check on your valuable bales of hay and remedy issues before they become bigger problems. By maintaining proper hay storage and staying vigilant, you can ensure your livestock has access to high-quality feed throughout the season.
This article about checking bales of hay in late winter was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
