# How to Move Round Bales Without a Tractor



## SheepGirl (May 7, 2012)

My neighbor sold his farm so my sheep will be at my house by June 8...we will not be putting up fencing/building a barn right away, so we will be putting them under our deck (lowest point is 5', highest point is 8ish') and building a pen around it for them.

Well...because they won't be on pasture, we'd have to feed hay. Square bales would get too expensive feeding three unproductive sheep plus a lactating ewe and however many lambs she decides to have. So I think getting a round bale that's at least 400 lbs for about $35 is the best way to go. Question is, how do we move it without a tractor? I mean I assume we could attach it to the deck post and drive away so it falls on the ground, but would the deck post even be strong enough?

Ideas?


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## jhm47 (May 7, 2012)

Most of the round  bales that I put up each summer weigh at least 1000 lbs.  I can roll them with some effort.  I did overexert myself in September and caused an umbilical hernia because I was too lazy to start my loader.  Had the hernia fixed, and now will be working smarter.


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## Royd Wood (May 7, 2012)

Will you use a round bale feeder for sheep - reason I ask is if not then the wasted hay will be colossal







This would be perfect but will need ten of you to lift the round bale in or back up a truck and push it in. 
A 4 x 5ft round has I think around 19 little squares in so a big dollar saving but you will lose most of savings in waste


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## TTs Chicks (May 7, 2012)

We just got a round bale for our goats and DH and I were able to roll it off the trailer without too much strain.  I didn't and still don't have it exactly where I want it so I can wrap fence around it but it's out there for them to eat


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## dwbonfire (May 7, 2012)

i dont have a tractor and dont see one in my near future lol unfortunetly! but i usually go get them on my truck and drive into the pasture and roll them off. takes two people for sure.. we have been doing this for a couple years now and it works out, pain in the butt yes, but it works


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## redtailgal (May 7, 2012)

My friend from Oklahoma and I have moved a few off the back of her truck.

They are loaded onto the truck with a forklife, but when we get to where we need to drop them......we both but our backs to the back windshield of the truck, put our feet on the bales and kick out with all we've got, and hope it doesnt roll a mile away.

It's a glamorous life.


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## dwbonfire (May 7, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> My friend from Oklahoma and I have moved a few off the back of her truck.
> 
> They are loaded onto the truck with a forklife, but when we get to where we need to drop them......we both but our backs to the back windshield of the truck, put our feet on the bales and kick out with all we've got, and hope it doesnt roll a mile away.
> 
> It's a glamorous life.


 exactly what we do here!! just love the ones with the flat bottoms that have been stacked in the barn 
you can do it!!!


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## SheepGirl (May 7, 2012)

Royd Wood - No, I don't have a round bale feeder. I was just going to put the bale on a pallet and then put pallets around it as a 'feeder'...something cheap since I don't plan on feeding hay to my sheep for a long time. (Even during winter they are out grazing, even though there is hay in the barn for them.)

But even if I can have the hay farmer load the hay in my truck for me it would be great because then I would only have to worry about getting it off 

jhm47, TTs Chicks, dwbonfire, redtailgal - That's good to hear that the round bales aren't too hard to roll of a truck! I was thinking it would be so hard because of the sheer weight of the bale. But I have two brothers that I can put to work, so maybe it will be okay  lol


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## daisychick (May 7, 2012)

I don't think I would tie it to the deck support and then drive away.  I think rolling it off the truck would be a lot easier and less risky.


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## elevan (May 7, 2012)

My hay guy uses a hay hook and brute strength to move them when he delivers to our farm.  He single handedly rolls the bale off the truck and puts it where we want it.  He says the hay hook is the key to making the bale go where you want it to go.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (May 8, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> My friend from Oklahoma and I have moved a few off the back of her truck.
> 
> They are loaded onto the truck with a forklife, but when we get to where we need to drop them......we both but our backs to the back windshield of the truck, put our feet on the bales and kick out with all we've got, and hope it doesnt roll a mile away.
> 
> It's a glamorous life.


We do the same thing except I am on the back kicking an my husband is on the ground pulling w/ hay hooks.


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## secuono (May 8, 2012)

That's why I drag around square bales...
No idea how I'd ever move a round one, other than have a fence on them and just move the fence closer as they eat away at it...lol


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## aggieterpkatie (May 8, 2012)

It really depends on the size of the bale. If it's 400lbs, you can move it like RTG said.  The bales we get are around 1200-1400 lbs and we get them loaded on our trailer. Then we hook a strap around the bale and around a tree (or to the bumper of another vehicle). Then we pull the trailer out from under the bale.  Then we can use a strap to tip the bale to either side to slide pallets under. I've found it's easier for me to pull hay and feed them, rather than have them have access to the bale.  Well, it may be less work for them to eat from it, but it's much less waste for me to feed them.


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## Remuda1 (May 8, 2012)

One other consideration is that sheep will eat the bottom portion of a round bale gradually turning it into a mushroom shape. This gets dangerous as it can tip easily, killing whatever is under it. Having said that....  LOL, I guess I'm a bit of a control freak and would rather exercise more portion control than the large bales afford. If I had a larger flock I may feel a lot differently about that .


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## Cornish Heritage (May 16, 2012)

You can move round bales by hand BUT it will take more than one of you & only if they are under 800-1000lbs. We have done it in the past (now have a tractor). Do you have a pick up truck you could push it into position with?

We are just looking at feeders this year. Hay is going to be more scarce than last year due to no rain & as others have said round bales are SO much cheaper than small squares. Our problem is that we need the feeders to be suitable for cows, sheep & pigs.

Liz


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## Waterfall (May 16, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> Royd Wood - No, I don't have a round bale feeder. I was just going to put the bale on a pallet and then put pallets around it as a 'feeder'...something cheap since I don't plan on feeding hay to my sheep for a long time. (Even during winter they are out grazing, even though there is hay in the barn for them.)
> 
> But even if I can have the hay farmer load the hay in my truck for me it would be great because then I would only have to worry about getting it off
> 
> jhm47, TTs Chicks, dwbonfire, redtailgal - That's good to hear that the round bales aren't too hard to roll of a truck! I was thinking it would be so hard because of the sheer weight of the bale. But I have two brothers that I can put to work, so maybe it will be okay  lol


I suppose you could try backing up REAL fast with your truck and have the bed open and stop real fast...it might slide or fly off.


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## SheepGirl (Jun 16, 2012)

We got a round bale today as I ran out of the square bales my neighbor gave me yesterday. We caught the farmer right as he was putting fresh timothy/grass mix bales into the turkey houses he stores hay in. He loaded it for us and when we got home, my mom backed into the garage halfway and I pushed it off while she watched  All it did was fall of the truck and bounce a couple feet (not more than 3-4')...I thought it would start rolling and hit the wall  So then we rolled it towards the back wall near the door to the deck and pushed it on top of a pallet. So now it's staying in place by my grain and mineral storage tubs sitting in front of it.

It was actually surprisingly easy to roll, both off the truck and through our garage (though of course our garage is level and the floor is concrete...if we were to roll it outside, it'd probably go all the way down the hill lol). I was surprised.


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