How much hay you can put in your hay storage barns depends largely on three factors: the size of the hoop shed, the size of the bales, and your equipment. 

You can store the most hay if it’s not baled at all, just packed in a pile. However, forking hay out of a barn isn’t for everyone. Hay stacks have pretty much gone the way of horse-drawn equipment.

Next up for hay storage efficiency is small squares. You can stack a lot of small bales in any barn, but not everyone needs these anymore either. Small square hay bales stack well in a hoop barn, and many still want these smaller bales, which are more convenient for those who are still handling hay by hand. There is a great market for these bales among horse people, but they want the best quality hay they can get, and that’s where storing hay under a hoop building’s roof shines.

When it comes to how many large, round bales you can store in a hoop building, much depends on your equipment. You’ll need to know the actual diameter of what comes out of your baler, as well as how high you can stack. Then, as illustrated in the pictures above, it becomes pretty simple to figure out how many round bales in a “layer” in your width building. Most bales are 5 feet wide, so multiply your “layer” number by 5 to find how long a hoop building you will need to store all your bales. 

Large square bales can also be stored in a fabric barn. It will again depend on their size and stacking.