Hay: Storing Hay

[Scout.Layne]

So I did a forum search for this but I couldn't find a definate answer. Maybe I'm just stupid. Or maybe it's just three a.m..

I was wondering what is the proper way to store hay if I'm going to be storing it indoors. Should I just unwrap if from the plastic it comes in and then leave it in a cardboard box? Would a plastic tub work if I keep the lid off? Of should I keep the lid on and poke holes in the sides of the plastic tub. Or is there another option that would be better than I'm just not thinking of? Also if I buy multiple small bags at a time (I'm going to order from Sweet Meadow and their Orchard Grass only comes in small 20oz bags) should I leave the ones that I'm not using in their bags or should I open them slightly or all the way?

Also this is slighty off topic but is Orchard Grass the best to get from Sweet Meadow or should I get thier Meadow Hay or Timothy? Has anyone ever order any of these before?

Thanks.

[lissie]

I order my hay from Kleenmama. I remove the plastic bag and put all the hay back into the cardboard box it came in and keep it under the cage.
Other members here have mentioned using plastic storage bin with the top open. Some drill holes on the sides. You can also use pillow case or cotton laundry hamper.
http://www.guinealynx.info/hay_storage.html

[Duffinvt]

Originally Posted by Scout.Layne

So I did a forum search for this but I couldn't find a definate answer. Maybe I'm just stupid. Or maybe it's just three a.m..

I was wondering what is the proper way to store hay if I'm going to be storing it indoors. Should I just unwrap if from the plastic it comes in and then leave it in a cardboard box? Would a plastic tub work if I keep the lid off? Of should I keep the lid on and poke holes in the sides of the plastic tub. Or is there another option that would be better than I'm just not thinking of? Also if I buy multiple small bags at a time (I'm going to order from Sweet Meadow and their Orchard Grass only comes in small 20oz bags) should I leave the ones that I'm not using in their bags or should I open them slightly or all the way?

Also this is slighty off topic but is Orchard Grass the best to get from Sweet Meadow or should I get thier Meadow Hay or Timothy? Has anyone ever order any of these before?

Thanks.

I got their "special" which was Timothy, Meadow Hay and pellets. The girls love it all. I was very happy with Sweet Meadow products and will continue ordering there since the shipping was much less than Kleenmama as I am on the East coast.

[YayPiggies]

I put mine in a garden bag, those super-sized paper bags for storing compost? It's breathable and holds a LOT.

[Duffinvt]

So, it is not OK to leave it in the plastic bag it arrives in ? Just checking !

[fieryone]

I've gotten their meadow hay (and alfalfa) before, but never their timothy or orchard so I can't comment on which one is "best". I will say that my pigs did like the meadow hay. It's a much thinner blade than any other hay I've ever gotten. More like a grass.

Any of your options will work for storing hay. I use a Rubbermaid bin and the hay that didn't fit in the bin was kept in the box that it came in.

[Toadies]

No, don't leave it in plastic if it is moist. Kleenmama's comes still moist from harvest. I don't know about Sweet Meadow. Back in the days before I knew better, I left the Kaytee hay in the plastic bags that it came in BUT it was so dry I could have started a fire rubbing two stems together. It it has any moisture content, it needs to breathe, to be ventilated.

[angiekay]

My Sweet Meadow timothy hay and meadow hay came dry, in the plastic 20 oz bags. I have left mine in those bags until I get ready to use it, store in my closet. Then I take it an put what I can in my rubbermaid storage container with the lid on, seems to keep it fresher. Smells so good when you open it up, my pigs go crazy when they hear it open and smell it, and won't even let me finish filling up the litter box and hay bin before jumping in for fresh!

I love the Sweet Meadow products (pellets and hay), I will say my boars love the meadow hay alot better than the timothy hay though, for some reason, I dunno. I do also as it's easier and more flexible than the timothy hay, makes it much easier to handvac up everyday when doing spot cleanings.

[tabikat55]

I'm kind of wondering about if it's stored in the garage, how do you prevent mice from getting to the hay.

I live in Wisconsin and now that the cold weather is upon us, rodents and screws will try to get in the garage. Our dog and cat food is stored out there but they are in sealed totes.

And as I understand it, holes have to be drilled in the totes.

What to do.

[bpatters]

I live in Houston, where the humidity is usually higher than the temperature, except when the temp exceeds 100!

How should I best store hay here? I can put it in the garage, but I'm afraid if I put it in a cardboard box with holes in it, it will just mold. All suggestions appreciated.

[Duffinvt]

Al of Sweetmeadow Farm responded to my question of leaving in plastic or dumping into a box:


"Thank you for your email. Storing either way is fine. In a plastic bag , you have to make sure it is not left in direct sunlight or keep near a heat source. Both can cause moisture to form inside the bag.
I do not know of any other reason to worry about the hay being kept inside the bag. To be safe you can also leave the bag open."

[Duffinvt]

Can hay be kept in the freezer? (I know you'd need a chest freezer, but I have a big one). And pellets? To freeze or not. I see both answers in my searches. Experts, what do you think?

[Toadies]

Duff - pellets can be stored, sealed, in the freezer for a year. After that, the nutritional value is not so great. There's no need to store hay in the freezer. I have kept hay, in a cardboard box in a cool garage, for 9 months now. Moist hay needs to be ventilated. It's not an issue if it's dry.
bp - I know that Houston can be like living in a fish bowl. If your hay is in a cardboard box, there's no need for holes. The cardboard will allow it to acclimate to the current weather conditions. Just make sure that it's not still moist before closing it up. Do you have AC? If so, could you keep it inside somewhere?
tabikat - what about holes in the lid with wire mesh over the holes to prevent mice from getting in? I don't have mice because I have pack rats, which kill the mice. I don't know which is worse.

[bpatters]

Toadies, if I try to keep the hay inside somewhere it will be very expensive. I don't know what a divorce lawyer costs, but that's what I'll be looking at if I put hay in the house! I'm pushing it with the GPs, but I know my husband well enough to know that he'll fall in love with them, but will never accept the hay indoors.

[Ly&Pigs]

Just keep the hay in a large cardboard box with the lid open in the garage.

[auburnmare5]

I wouldn't recommend a cardboard box though. Because it could be hiding mold spores in the sides, and this could slowly transfer to your hay. Plus, if it is in the garage, with the temps changing somewhat frequently, couldn't mold form that way as well. I personally use a sterlite clear plastic tub with a lockable lid. I do have 2-3 holes on each side so air can circulate through it.

[Toadies]

I've kept my hay in cardboard boxes from the get-go and have never had an issue with mold or bugs. I keep some in the house and some in the garage. My house box was bought new and dry from a package/shipping store and my garage box is the box KM shipped hay to me in, which I know was new for the shipment.

[Ly&Pigs]

I keep the bulk of the hay I order in the cardboard box it came in with the plastic removed. For everyday use, I put smaller amounts into a plastic storage tote with the lid off and keep that stored underneath the girls cage and refill as necessary. The last box of hay was stored for several months in the cardboard box and did not get damp nor mold.

Cardboard is just fine to store hay in as it is able to breath. Mold spores can also occur on plastic as easy as cardboard.