DIY Crawfish Farm

Select a location to rear the crayfish. The ideal location should have a temperature range between 45 degrees and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and also have clayey soil to facilitate burrowing. If the temperature falls below 45 degrees, crayfish become inactive. On the other hand, if the temperature rises above 85 degrees, they tend to bury under the soil.

Dig a pond 18 to 24 inches deep spread across an acre, recommend Auburn University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Have an inlet and outlet in the pond so that you can easily fill and drain the pond.

Fill the pond with water. Avoid using water with pesticides or pollutants, as they will kill the crayfish.

Install a pump to aerate the water, as crayfish thrive in waters that have an oxygen level of 3.0 parts per million or more.

Test the pH of the water. Maintain the pH between 5.8 and 8.2 for optimal growth and development.

Plant rice, sorghum Sudan grass or some other type of aquatic plants in the pond during summer. These will serve as food for the crayfish.

Stock the pond with adult crayfish in spring. You can purchase them from breeding farms.

Drain the water from the pond in June and July. During this time, the crayfish will make burrows in the soil where they will reproduce.

Refill the pond in October to facilitate the emergence of the crayfish.

Harvest the crayfish in November. Wash them well to remove clay that may be trapped in the gills. Keep the crayfish for 24 hours in a separate holding tank containing water to clean clay from their bodies.

Sell the harvested crayfish in the local market or to restaurants in the neighborhood.