I got bit again this year. 
The difference this year, is I have a little more incentive to get this right because I'm having some major feed problems, and the last straw was pulled. :evil: Fodder is feeling like a last resort lately, and it's coming along well enough that I have hope. Rabbits are doing loads better too, as they always do once they're off the iffy feed.
Anyway, it took a few years, but I finally convinced my dad to let me get a rack and keep it in the house! It has 4 shelves, but the 4th holds the water tray, so the rack can only hold 6 trays in the house. It was $40, but then I found it on sale for $20 so I bought a second...just haven't gotten it yet. :lol: It's like a mini greenhouse, I guess; just shelving with a plastic cover.
I did have some trouble figuring out how much to tilt the trays, how to water it, the whole deal with reusing the water...I did have a little bit of a mold issue, but I picked those bits out and the mats were fine.
This batch, I'm NOT re-using the water and cycling potential excess mold gunk through the entire rack. I'm only doing 1lb dry barley per tray, leaving the grain to soak in bleach water overnight (12ish hours), and was leaving them (drained) for another 12-ish hours in the soak bucket before going into the trays. Starting today, I'm setting the trays down flat to let the roots soak up the water for a few minutes before putting them at an angle again, and letting the grain get a 2 day head start in buckets with drainage holes before being put in trays. My soak bucket is marked in sharpie at the 1lb mark to measure dry grain, has holes poked in the lid, and a few along the side. Better than spilling it all over the sink trying to strain it.
All my "buckets" are just old margarine containers. :lol: I'm such a cheapskate.
I get so excited to watch grass grow.opcorn: Like baby bunnies, somehow it just doesn't get old.
The difference this year, is I have a little more incentive to get this right because I'm having some major feed problems, and the last straw was pulled. :evil: Fodder is feeling like a last resort lately, and it's coming along well enough that I have hope. Rabbits are doing loads better too, as they always do once they're off the iffy feed.
Anyway, it took a few years, but I finally convinced my dad to let me get a rack and keep it in the house! It has 4 shelves, but the 4th holds the water tray, so the rack can only hold 6 trays in the house. It was $40, but then I found it on sale for $20 so I bought a second...just haven't gotten it yet. :lol: It's like a mini greenhouse, I guess; just shelving with a plastic cover.
I did have some trouble figuring out how much to tilt the trays, how to water it, the whole deal with reusing the water...I did have a little bit of a mold issue, but I picked those bits out and the mats were fine.
This batch, I'm NOT re-using the water and cycling potential excess mold gunk through the entire rack. I'm only doing 1lb dry barley per tray, leaving the grain to soak in bleach water overnight (12ish hours), and was leaving them (drained) for another 12-ish hours in the soak bucket before going into the trays. Starting today, I'm setting the trays down flat to let the roots soak up the water for a few minutes before putting them at an angle again, and letting the grain get a 2 day head start in buckets with drainage holes before being put in trays. My soak bucket is marked in sharpie at the 1lb mark to measure dry grain, has holes poked in the lid, and a few along the side. Better than spilling it all over the sink trying to strain it.
All my "buckets" are just old margarine containers. :lol: I'm such a cheapskate.
I get so excited to watch grass grow.
opcorn: Like baby bunnies, somehow it just doesn't get old.
