Baling, wrapping, for less waste.

[Greythundercloudys]

I'm going to change my way of doing this, lm going to treble wrap every bale, in stead of just the top ones and lm going to buy a soft hands and build them on there ends, lm fed up with pick top bales with crows, has anyone tryed those plastic owls and do they work.

 

[Bill dog]

Yes, we tried a plastic owl, but it was fairly useless. We got a hawk eye twirly thing at McCaskie’s , and it was much better!
I think you’ll get less damage sitting your bales on their end like cans. Gotta be worth a try !

 

[Greythundercloudys]

What was that hawkeye like a kite?

 

[Bill dog]

No a spinning thing like a big balloon. It has vanes which catch the wind . 2 of the vanes are metallic looking, and I think the glare scares the buggers off . I’ve never seen the kite one, but it might be grand!

 

[Greythundercloudys]

Was it cheap 30£

 

[Bill dog]

Or less ! It was years ago , used to sit in in a traffic cone beside the stack. Until the cone blew over , and I ran it over- woops !!

 

[Treg]

Tyres on top bales, net over the top, its gotta be cheaper than extra layer of plastic?

 

[M-J-G]

Tyres on top bales, net over the top, its gotta be cheaper than extra layer of plastic?

I was just thinking that.

 

[hally]

Definitely get a better fermentation with six layers, studies have shown it easily offsets the extra cost of plastic but a bird problem will still go through six layers so the tyres and the net will easily be the best option. We don’t net but always give the top bales to dry suckler cows and the bottom 3 layers to young stock and sheep.

 

[egbert]

Tyres on top bales, net over the top, its gotta be cheaper than extra layer of plastic?

I found the net a major fag through the winter.
Just a load of tyres can help...and are slightly less of a fag.

Mind, end stacking is the rule here, and it fixes birdy damage.
(sadly, doesn't stop bunnies, rats, and cats hunting both)

 

[egbert]

I've a question.
with some oats drilled with the intention of baling and wrapping....would a knapsack sprayer of creosote around the stack keep Roland Rat and his chums at bay?
would it harm the wrap?
Any experiences?

(sorry to butt in Greythundercloudys)

 

[buttercup]

Here's a idea, to cut down on waste plastic, don't make silage make hay and even if you have to use an additive ...

 

[clod hopper]

Square bale and sheet n tyres best in my opinion.
They take less space, stack easier/tighter and feed out a slice at a time if need to. A much tidyier cleaner job

 

[clod hopper]

Here's a idea, to cut down on waste plastic, don't make silage make hay and even if you have to use an additive ...

What additive do you use on hay??

 

[egbert]

Square bale and sheet n tyres best in my opinion.
They take less space, stack easier/tighter and feed out a slice at a time if need to. A much tidyier cleaner job

Cost is my issue there.
Elderly roundy baler is worth stuff all, but does 80-90% of my baling annually, dragged along by anything with a pto shaft, a 2 way spool, and the right leccy socket..
A square baler would cost a lot more to stand in the yard, and require a rather more significant prime mover to tug it around -indeed, one that then would look a bit silly filling up round feeders for hairy old sucklers!

I will make hay if weather permits, and that's another issue with squares.
As long as the roundies go through the baler dry, it doesn't matter much what comes out the sky that night.
Often I've carried on, leaving yesterdays bales to await fetching in, as long as they're not needing wrap.
The flexibility is a joy for me.
I admit hauling squares is a lot easier over distance though.

I wish I wasn't using as much plastic, or that it was made of summat we could grow.

 

[Skintagain]

Cost is my issue there.
Elderly roundy baler is worth stuff all, but does 80-90% of my baling annually, dragged along by anything with a pto shaft, a 2 way spool, and the right leccy socket..
A square baler would cost a lot more to stand in the yard, and require a rather more significant prime mover to tug it around -indeed, one that then would look a bit silly filling up round feeders for hairy old sucklers!

I will make hay if weather permits, and that's another issue with squares.
As long as the roundies go through the baler dry, it doesn't matter much what comes out the sky that night.
Often I've carried on, leaving yesterdays bales to await fetching in, as long as they're not needing wrap.
The flexibility is a joy for me.
I admit hauling squares is a lot easier over distance though.

I wish I wasn't using as much plastic, or that it was made of summat we could grow.

Use the old baler for hay and emergencies.

Get a contractor to power some stuff into your wrapped bales it will save you a lot of plastic and time.

 

[dundee dave]

got one of these owls on the top of a pole the flaming birds sit on the top of it. bought one of these flying hawk jobbies have not used it yet.

 

[Nithsdale]

Here's a idea, to cut down on waste plastic, don't make silage make hay and even if you have to use an additive ...

Where do you put it, if you don't have a shed (or one big enough)?

 

[HarryB97]

Do a proper job and buy some of the Gale Breaker sheets. Completely bird proof, 10 year guarantee and very slippy so easy to drag around on your own.

 

[buttercup]

haven't had to use an additive, since someone told me to put on with the sprayer then row up the summer's have been so hot that has you have cut it, move it's made.