handling round bales

[minister man]

I have been feeding round bales for a while now. I just up end them off the pickup truck and stand them up on end outside and carry enough hay into the barn each day to feed.


This winter has been terrible. We have had record amounts of snow. Shoveling the bales out and digging them out of the snow is all getting too much. I have room to take the bale inside but I can't see how to get them in there. I know that some dairy barns have a lift on a track that moves the bale along in front of the cows. I am wondering if anyone has designed a way to move bales of hay without a tractor??? thanks

[WildRoots]

We use a skid-steer, probably not the answer you are looking for though. We have also used our plow truck

[minister man]

I don't have a plow truck or a skid steer. It is possible that buying a tractor is the best option, but I was looking for a cheaper solution.

[idigbeets]

Few different companies offer products for just this issue..

http://www.kensi90.com/hydra/balehandler.html

[WadeFisher]

Can't you get small squares?
In our area they sell for more, but not prohibitively that much more. Even just for the bad times.

[DaleK]

Do you have enough door space to get the whole bale in? There are various carts you can use if you can't roll it by hand. It might be worth finding a bale saw to cut a bale down too.

[kycrawler]

Could use a tumble bug bale buggy or similar . If your using net wrap bales you can push a steel rod through the center and hook a chain to each end of the rod and pull it with a truck like a lawn roller

[wannabfishin]

they make round bale haulers that attach to the back of your truck. some are pretty simple and just use a come-along to pick them up

[minister man]

I was working today in a tie stall barn, and they had a cement pad outside the door, and no door step. They set the bale on a pallet outside the door, and used a pallet jack to bring it in........ I don't have the cement... but it might be cheaper than a tractor.

[o&itw]

Or you can do it the poor farmer way. Set an old piece of plywood or wide building metal outside with a couple of holes towards the front. Make a V shaped tow with rope or chain, and pull the bale into the barn with a block and tackle. This requires a rather sturdy post (or a tractor if one can fit in the other side)... don't pull your building over. If there is another door at 90 degrees, you can use a block (pulley) instead and pull the rope with a tractor. You will need another person to guide your distance with this method so you don't do any damage to the building. Put the bale, on end, a little bit towards the back of the plywood, and tie the block and tackle up a foot or two higer than the floor, so the front of the plywood will flex up and not dig into the ground.

[7thswan]

We have had to move rounds diffrent ways. One it to take a tyedown strap arround and attach to a chain and pull with truck. Have it setting on a flat side and wrap arround the net part.

[mulemom]

I don't know what size round bales you have but my husband and I have rolled 4'x5' rnd bales into our barn and through hi tensile wire into muddy pastures. We've also done the same thing with 3x3x8 big square bales. One of us alone can't do it but together with a '1-2-3 go' we've managed. We're both under 5'7" and haven't seen 50 in quite a while. Would mean you'd need help when you roll the bales into the barn but it would save carrying every little bit.

[minister man]

YouTube

I don't have a draft horse, but I have a standardbred...... I wonder if she could do this......

[7thswan]

Yuo'd be supprised on how nice a bit of plastic sheet makes anything slide.