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storing hay

elmoandfern

Mama Doe
im having some trouble working out how to store my hay! its hay for pets hay so comes in a plastic bag and i was thinking of putting that plastic bag open in a metal bin. will that work, or will it sweat? could i put it in the metal bin loose? how do other people store their hay?
 
im having some trouble working out how to store my hay! its hay for pets hay so comes in a plastic bag and i was thinking of putting that plastic bag open in a metal bin. will that work, or will it sweat? could i put it in the metal bin loose? how do other people store their hay?

I just keep my big hay for pets bag in my kitchen! Although it is a little messy especially as I have to cut the strands as they're so long that if I leave them full length the buns drag them everywhere.

I really have nowhere else to keep it though. I also keep a hay bale in the kitchen and have to keep moving it to get in cupboards and if I have anyone over for dinner!

Any genius storage ideas would be appreciated.
 
I get my hay by the bale. so storage gets tricky for me. As well all know, rabbits much like horses can get very sick if fed "cow hay" this kind of hay sometimes has a bit of mold on it, and cows like it because the way they digest the mold doesn't bother them much. So all hay must be kept vry dry however it is kept. Living in a humid area trying to keep mold from forming is my main goal. I buy very large storage bins *the big plastic ones you store a large fake christmas tree, or large houshold items in* I keep two in my barn, and four in a small hay shed outside stacked on eachother. These have lids that snap down, it is not air or water tight but protected from bugs, and pests. I go to my local craft/fabric stores and buy a bolt or two of burlap fabric, and measure and cut lengths and place a piece on the bottom of the tub to keep sweating from happening and then a piece laid on top of the bale. You could do something similar with a smaller tub, and less burlap.
 
So do I, but I always leave the top open so it can breathe. I also make sure it's not stored anywhere that the sun can shine on it and cause the bag to 'sweat'.

Yep, the bag is just ripped open and left open. I'm luck to live near a 7-day a week supply shop that sells medium bags of quality hay cost-effectively, so I buy new hay every 10 days or so, so going off isn't a problem.
 
I'm another who keeps it in the bag. It's in the hallway, away from the sun and we keep the doors open so lots of air flows through. It does get in the way though, I wish we had more cupboard space. Smells lovely though.
 
Ours is in the garage in an 80 litre plastic storage box with the lid off. The 9 kg H4P hay fits it perfectly but sticks out the top.
 
Hay does tend to sweat in bags so I keep mine in large carboard boxes which are open at one end to allow for breathing. Its also not too tightly packed as well.
 
thanks everyone :wave: so loose in a metal bin should be ok? i usually keep it in the bag, open, in my garage but we are letting the dogs in the garage now and they enjoy ripping bags open :roll:
 
I just keep the rabbits hay in the kitchen cupboard now, they have their own cupboard and own fridge compartment :lol: on fridge for their veg it says sox and mabel :oops::lol:

once over the hay was kept in shed, but when mice and rats kept gaining entry I didn't want to risk feeding them it incase they had been in to it, although now the shed is now pest free, just easier having hay indoors as my rabbits are house buns too
 
thanks everyone :wave: so loose in a metal bin should be ok? i usually keep it in the bag, open, in my garage but we are letting the dogs in the garage now and they enjoy ripping bags open :roll:

Yeah that would be fine, metal still sweats sometimes though. Line it with fabric to keep moisture from forming , that'll keep any condensation away.
 
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