My fodder system diary.

[AllenK RGV]

I grew up in south Texas (Kenedy) and worked a ranch for a few years just south of Tilden. Coral snakes never worried me (saw plenty), at least rattlesnakes warned you they was there. Dispatched plenty rattlesnakes over 6 ft, were great sauted in garlic butter sauce. Worried more about cottonmouth snakes. Only ever saw 1 gator, a 7 footer that moved in and found our well stocked pond full of catfish. Had him removed to preserve our private fishing spot.
@RebelChief how goes the fodder?

That is quite a different environment 200miles north of us. Pure scrub brush and empty miles between San Antonio and Corpus. We both live in the Rio Grande Delta lands if there was a healthy rattler population here I'm certain I would have found one by now. I also hate Water Moccasins/Cottonmouths and suspect with OP living on a resaca(oxbow lake) she probably has those. As a youthful superman I used to harass those and play a type of baseball with them at the local creek. It usually only took 4-5 minutes of chasing them up and down tossing rocks until they come at you to give ya that bite. That was when it was batter up time man I was a stupid kid.

 

[RebelChief]

Lol the kids around here also tell tall tales about gators in our agricultural/water delivery and drainage ditches. Adults have told me about rattlesnakes and that is a bunch of yada yada too. The only deadly snakes I have seen here over the last 5 years were coral snakes(night active and calm) and non venomous ones. Only a real dunderhead could get a lethal dose of venom from a coral by picking it up, taunting it, thumping it in its head then manually attaching it to your body for 60 or so seconds so it has enough time to chew the venom in. What types of chicken do you keep @RebelChief that you worry about the hawk attacks? Knock on wood I have yet to lose one to them. The chicken do more damage to the hawks in my back yard as they hug the house and fences and hawks occasionally hit those with misses having alert chicken. Granted I do also free range those silkies but they get extreme haircuts so they can see to be better at chickening.

Now the gators in Georgia were something that had me keeping my water dogs away from the water. I always saw those things hanging around. Heck the cat even brought us a hatchling gator once.

https://www.krgv.com/videos/spi-nature-center-to-open-alligator-sanctuary/ sad they had to import gators from Beaumont for the sanctuary.

I am not even trying to think about snakes....ugh. The gator appears to be a real concern in our neighborhood. The neighborhood group has been discussing hiring someone to come find it and relocate it.

I have olive eggers, black copper marans and easter eggers. I've seen hawks around and am pretty vigilant about them since I have a 2.5 lb chihuahua.

The ducks from the lake have done a number on my grass on the water side of my home. They are terrible. I still feed them though ... cause I'm a sucker! LOL

 

[RebelChief]

Mold is an issue. I need to start over. Need to adjust my angle so the water doesn't run so fast. Also, my fodder is growing very unevenly. Not sure what to do with that.

I grew up in south Texas (Kenedy) and worked a ranch for a few years just south of Tilden. Coral snakes never worried me (saw plenty), at least rattlesnakes warned you they was there. Dispatched plenty rattlesnakes over 6 ft, were great sauted in garlic butter sauce. Worried more about cottonmouth snakes. Only ever saw 1 gator, a 7 footer that moved in and found our well stocked pond full of catfish. Had him removed to preserve our private fishing spot.
@RebelChief how goes the fodder?

 

[RebelChief]

Growth is good however it seems to be growing more on one side than the other. Literally tiny growth on the down side of the pan and lots of growth on the upside. I'm going to start over after I readjust the levels. I am also thinking about moving them outside and then maybe back in if we expect a really cold night.

 

[aart]

Growth is good however it seems to be growing more on one side than the other. Literally tiny growth on the down side of the pan and lots of growth on the upside. I'm going to start over after I readjust the levels. I am also thinking about moving them outside and then maybe back in if we expect a really cold night.

Maybe too wet on the downside(not draining)...or deeper layer of seed?
Pics might offer some clues.