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06/10/11, 08:38 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: WI
Posts: 1,245
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Rd hay bales to tight to move....
My custom baler came over this week and got my hay put up. He is running a new baler. Not sure what kind it is, but you must need to run it in road gear as I have never seen a piece of farm macherery move across a field so fast. Makes very nice, VERY tight bales.
The bales are so tight that I can not get my bale spear (3 pt type) to drive into them. I can get about the first foot of the spear in, but then just start to push them around.
So, how do I get them out of the field?
Thanks in advance......
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06/10/11, 08:59 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,005
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With a set of forks or a HAY VAN™ type bale squeezer. Or, try to put the spear in as close to the center of the bale as possible.
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06/10/11, 09:07 AM
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Living the dream.
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Morganton, NC
Posts: 1,982
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A loader with pallet forks may work (but it sounds like you don't have a loader). I've had bales so tight that my goats and sheep nibble all the good hay off the ends, leaving the coarse stuff, then won't touch them until I manually pull some out for them. Eventually the bales get loose enough for them to eat, but it is a pain in the meantime...
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06/10/11, 10:00 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: iowa
Posts: 2,588
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A bale carrier on the three point hitch will work.The middle of the bale should be the softest part as suggested above.You may be able to borrow the carrier from the custom baler if you don't have one.You can roll them on to a stone boat in a pinch.
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06/10/11, 11:10 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 34,211
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Try to hit the bale dead center
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06/10/11, 12:07 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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Too bad you're in WI.... I have a Texas-style "bale handler" for sale in Delaware which is a "buggy" in some parts.... It's a 2-wheeled axle with a frame for a hitch to your truck (looks a bit like a boat trailer) but it has a winch on it connected to two spikes that lay on the ground when the winch is loose; you back the spikes under the bale, and then winch the spikes up to a 45 degree angle which lifts the bale onto the axle. drive it anywhere! lemme go find a picture....
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06/10/11, 12:12 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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ok, this is one version....mine doesn't have the large center spike; the two bottom spikes are tapered 6" angleiron with good welded bracing...
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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06/10/11, 01:19 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: W Mo
Posts: 9,274
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We had some that were extra tight, had to just ram them harder initially to get the spikes in far enough to lift them. It wasn't a finesse move but it worked and nothing got tore up.
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It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.
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06/10/11, 02:25 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: WI
Posts: 1,245
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Thanks all for the ideas. Will work on hitting dead center. If that fails I will borrow tractor and forks from neighbor. Once the are lined up, I can get them speared to feed as they wont be able to slide back on me.
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Remember the good times, for they are fewer in number and easier to recall.
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06/10/11, 02:28 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 34,211
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Quote:
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Will work on hitting dead center
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Also make sure your spear is as level as possible
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06/10/11, 11:13 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 537
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i agree with bearfoot....the angle of your spear makes a difference especially when they are tight.
samm
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06/10/11, 11:30 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,349
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Just be patient, if you can wait a while the bales will most likely loosen a bit as the hay dries down more.
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01/27/14, 02:53 PM
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Do it in the dirt
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: South Central Indiana
Posts: 157
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Had that happen once, i just ened up sliding them to where i had to get them too.
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01/27/14, 06:05 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: MN
Posts: 3,362
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I used to use my loader bucket. I had huge hooks welded on each upper corner closest to the tractor. Tuck the bucket up under bale and wrap a goodly sized chain around it, tilt the bucket and lift. The chain will tighten up from the weight of the bale. It takes a little practice but once I got the hang of getting the bucket placement right I found it easier than using my 3 pt bale spear. The trick is to NOT put the chain around the bale at a pivot point, weight wise.
A neighbor who raised a lot of cattle showed me that trick when I first got my farm.
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01/28/14, 09:16 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: northcentral MN
Posts: 14,380
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My hay guy said the some of his customers roll the bales by pushing on it with their 4 wheeler.
If you had a strong iron bar you could push it through the very center and then hook a chain on each end as it comes out of the bale.
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01/28/14, 03:17 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 3,851
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Make sure the spear point is real sharp, not blunted at all.
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01/28/14, 03:46 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: IN
Posts: 4,536
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Was having this problem Saturday. I thought that I could not be the only one. I saw that this post was started long ago.
Sometimes I have success with the ones in the barn where I have traction and can push against other bales. On the snow and outside I have trouble. I will look into 3 pt. forks.
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01/28/14, 03:57 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: here, there, anywhere
Posts: 2,296
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Tip the bale,,run your spear through the side,,
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01/28/14, 08:58 PM
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My name is not Alice
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: On a dirt road in Missouri
Posts: 4,185
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While we are resurrecting old threads..
My tractor was a bit under the weather and I was scrambling for ideas to unroll hay. I pondered one of those UTV unrollers. Are they any good? I have a 450cc Kawasaki Mule. Some of those bales are pretty heavy...
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01/28/14, 11:04 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,349
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While reading this old thread I noticed Jill Costello's posts. She hasen't posted for about 2 years, anyone know what became of her?
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