In the in-laws' old woodshed. Classic on blocks with a dirt floor. Store the bales on a Euro pallet.
It works most of the time, but if there's moisture in the hay, we have to remove the mold.
If I'm going to build something for this purpose now, I want to make it as good as possible from the start.
It works most of the time, but if there's moisture in the hay, we have to remove the mold.
If I'm going to build something for this purpose now, I want to make it as good as possible from the start.
I suspect that the only really safe way is to build tightly, with a little insulation, and run a dehumidifier connected to a hygrometer so RH can be kept below 70%.
The horses are extremely sensitive to mold, I understand.
And this way, you avoid rats, mice, and birds.
How much electricity does a small dehumidifier use?
It also provides heat.
By the way, what about one of those solar air heaters advertised in brochures?
http://www.solarventi.se/
Is it mostly junk?
The horses are extremely sensitive to mold, I understand.
And this way, you avoid rats, mice, and birds.
How much electricity does a small dehumidifier use?
It also provides heat.
By the way, what about one of those solar air heaters advertised in brochures?
http://www.solarventi.se/
Is it mostly junk?
I think so too. I have a classic woodshed myself, with gravel on the bottom. The ground gets damp depending on the season and weather. I have placed used/damaged low-cost tarpaulins on the ground there. On top of the tarpaulins, it is dry.ArneTW said:
Apart from ground moisture, a woodshed is just like a classic hayloft. If you cover the hay with straw (loose straw) you shouldn't have any problems with mold. (Provided the hay is dry from the start.)
Someone mentioned that heat comes from the barn that somehow dries the hay if I understood correctly. This is directly inappropriate because the air in an insulated barn always has high RH. To reduce the risk, among other things, barns are ventilated with negative pressure ventilation.
The advice is therefore to buy dry hay and store it under straw, as someone suggested. The sparse floor is used for drying/airing but also to reduce the risk of moisture possibly coming through the loft floor. Salt has also been used to improve storage. The risk with compressing is that you may also trap any moisture in the batch of hay.
The advice is therefore to buy dry hay and store it under straw, as someone suggested. The sparse floor is used for drying/airing but also to reduce the risk of moisture possibly coming through the loft floor. Salt has also been used to improve storage. The risk with compressing is that you may also trap any moisture in the batch of hay.
Exactly!
But the most important thing should be to buy good quality right from the start. Request a full analysis of the feed you purchase.
Alternatively, you can buy haylage in small plastic bales. At least ten layers of plastic because it's about airtight storage, and longer sharp straws easily puncture the plastic.
But the most important thing should be to buy good quality right from the start. Request a full analysis of the feed you purchase.
Alternatively, you can buy haylage in small plastic bales. At least ten layers of plastic because it's about airtight storage, and longer sharp straws easily puncture the plastic.