When It Makes Sense to Invest in a Hay Shed 

Author: George Ovenden

When I’m talking with farmers about a new hay shed, one of the first things we discuss isn’t the building itself. It’s what they need the shed to achieve and whether the investment makes sense for their operation.

Some farmers have outgrown their existing storage. Others want to reduce weather-related losses, handle hay more efficiently or prepare for future growth.

Before we start sketching concepts or discussing dimensions, I want to understand the problem we’re trying to solve.

TechSpan generally works on projects starting from a 15-metre clear span or approximately 350 m² of floor area. If your proposed shed is around this size or larger, here are some practical questions worth considering.

How Much Hay Do You Need to Store?

The first step is to work out how much hay the building needs to hold, both now and over the next five to ten years.

The answer depends on:

  • The number of bales you need to store
  • Whether you use round or square bales
  • The dimensions and weight of each bale
  • How high the bales can be safely stacked
  • The machinery used to move them
  • The access space needed between stacks
  • Whether part of the shed will have another use

As a practical example, a 16 m × 32 m (4 × 8 m bays) × 6 m eave hay shed may hold approximately 720 round 5×4 bales, depending on the stacking arrangement and access requirements.

A 21 m × 40 m (4 × 10 m bays) × 6 m eave shed may hold approximately 1,300 round 5×4 bales.

These figures are only an initial guide. Two sheds with the same floor area can have very different usable capacities depending on bale size, stacking patterns and machinery access.

It’s also worth allowing for a poor season or an increase in production. Designing only for the hay you store today may leave you short of space sooner than expected.

How High Does a Hay Shed Need to Be?

The required height isn’t determined by the haystack alone. You also need enough clearance for the machine placing and retrieving the top bales.

If you’re stacking round 5×4 bales three high with a telehandler, I would generally begin by considering an eave height of approximately 7.5 m.

That allows for:

  • The total height of the stack
  • The telehandler’s lifting arc
  • Clearance above the load
  • Safe movement beneath the roof structure
  • The depth of rafters and other structural components

A tractor with a front-end loader and a telehandler may require different operating clearances, even when handling the same bales.

This is why I ask about the machinery before recommending a shed height. A shed can have enough room for the hay on paper but still be difficult or unsafe to operate in.

Is Your Hay Properly Protected?

Hay represents a considerable investment, whether you grow it yourself or buy it in.

When stored outside, it is exposed to rain, ground moisture, sunlight and changing weather conditions. Over time, this can affect feed quality and increase spoilage and waste.

A well-planned hay shed helps protect that investment and provides more certainty around feed availability when conditions become difficult.

Which Side of the Shed Should Be Open?

An open-sided hay shed needs to make access easy without unnecessarily exposing stored hay to prevailing weather.

As a general guide, I would look at positioning the open side away from the prevailing rain-bearing weather. However, the best orientation depends on the individual property.

Before deciding, consider:

  • The direction of prevailing wind and rain
  • Exposure to strong winds
  • Access for trucks, tractors and telehandlers
  • The fall of the land
  • Drainage around the building
  • The location of feeding areas and other farm infrastructure
  • Whether the shed may be extended in the future

Nearby hills, vegetation and existing buildings can all change how weather moves across a particular site, so orientation shouldn’t be decided using a compass direction alone.

Why the Shed Pad Matters

A hay shed doesn’t necessarily need a full concrete floor, but it does need a stable, well-prepared building pad.

As a general guide, the pad should provide a relatively flat, level surface that can support stored hay, machinery and regular vehicle movements. A slight fall may also be needed to direct water away from the shed.

Depending on the ground conditions and intended use, a compacted gravel pad may be more practical and economical than a full concrete slab, although concrete can be useful in high-traffic areas.

Is Your Current Setup Creating Extra Work?

A common assumption is that the solution is simply a bigger building.

Sometimes it is. Often, however, the problem is how the existing storage is arranged.

When I visit a property or discuss an early concept, I ask questions such as:

  • How many times are you moving the same bales?
  • Can machinery enter, turn and exit easily?
  • Can trucks load and unload without interrupting other work?
  • Is hay being stored across several locations?
  • How far is the shed from the feeding areas?
  • Is accessing older hay difficult once new hay is stored?
  • Is handling feed taking longer than it should?

The answers help us plan the openings, height, span and layout around how the shed will be used.

A more considered layout may save time every day, even if the building itself isn’t substantially larger.

Could the Shed Support Other Parts of the Farm?

It’s worth considering whether the building could provide value beyond hay season.

Could part of it also accommodate:

  • Machinery
  • Implements
  • Seed or fertiliser
  • General farm equipment
  • A loading or preparation area
  • Future operational requirements

Combining uses can make the investment work harder, but these need to be considered early. Machinery storage, fertiliser storage and workshop activities may introduce different access, ventilation, fire, durability and compliance requirements.

Are You Planning for Future Growth?

Before preparing a concept, I usually ask what the farm may look like in five or ten years.

You may be planning to:

  • Increase livestock numbers
  • Expand cropping
  • Produce or purchase more hay
  • Introduce larger machinery
  • Change the way feed is handled
  • Add another bay or extend the building

That doesn’t necessarily mean building all the additional space now. It may mean positioning the shed where it can be extended, keeping services out of the expansion area or selecting a layout that can adapt over time.

Will You Need Council Approval?

Council and planning requirements should be investigated early, before the design is finalised.

Whether approval is required can depend on:

  • The property’s location and zoning
  • The size, height and intended use of the building
  • Its distance from boundaries, roads and waterways
  • Bushfire, flood or other planning overlays
  • Earthworks and drainage requirements
  • Whether the development meets exempt or complying development criteria
  • The building’s classification under the National Construction Code

A farm building isn’t automatically exempt from approval simply because it is being constructed on agricultural land.

I recommend confirming the requirements with your council or a qualified planning professional at the beginning of the project to avoid redesigns and unexpected delays.

Explore the Layout Before Engineering Begins

One of my favourite parts of a project is developing the initial concept.

This is where we can compare layouts, review access and think through how machinery and hay will move around the building.

It is much easier to reposition an opening, adjust a bay or change a wall on a concept drawing than after the structure has been engineered.

If you want to explore some initial options yourself, you can use our 3D Shed Designer to choose a starting size and configure your building.

Start designing your hay shed in 3D.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if it’s the right time to invest in a hay shed?

It may be time to consider a dedicated hay shed if you are regularly losing hay to the weather, running out of storage, moving bales several times or spending too much time handling feed.

The investment may also make sense if you are increasing production or need a building that can serve several purposes across the farm.

How big should my hay shed be?

Start with the number and type of bales you need to store, then allow for stacking, machinery access and future requirements.

A large shed with poorly positioned openings or insufficient operating space may hold less hay than expected.

Does a hay shed need a concrete slab?

Not always. A stable, well-drained compacted pad may be suitable, depending on the site and how the shed will be used.

Concrete may be appropriate in loading areas, high-traffic zones or parts of the building intended for other activities.

Can a hay shed be used for machinery storage?

Yes. Many hay sheds are designed to accommodate machinery, implements and other farm equipment.

If you plan to combine uses, it’s important to account for machinery dimensions, turning space and any additional safety or compliance requirements during the design stage.

Can TechSpan work with my preferred builder?

Yes. TechSpan offers two delivery pathways.

Our Custom Solutions provide a fully engineered structural building package that can be integrated with your preferred builder and project team.

Our Tailored Solutions provide greater coordination across concept development, engineering, manufacture and construction.

Start With the Problem You Want to Solve

A worthwhile hay shed should do more than add covered floor space. It should protect your feed, reduce unnecessary handling and make day-to-day work easier.

If your hay shed forms part of a larger feedlot project, we can also help you consider how storage fits alongside livestock movement, covered housing and future site development.

If your project is around 350 m² or larger, contact us or give our team a call on 1800 350 450. I’d be happy to discuss how your operation works, what you need the building to achieve and whether a TechSpan solution is the right fit.

Try our 3D Shed Builder