Bickal Koi Farm - Coggon Iowa 2012

We have been breeding koi at our Farm in Toddville Iowa since 1999. All of our breeding operations take place using rubber lined ponds and tanks. This type of breeding does not allow the koi to root around in the mud getting vital nutrients and access to worms and other naturally available food sources.

The land on our farm in Toddville was very sandy, so rubber lined ponds were the only option. We have built as many ponds as our current property can hold, but we still need more room for koi. Our only option, was to buy more land!

In Fall of 2012 I purchased 25 acres of pasture with 2 small creeks flowing through it. This land will become our site for our second koi farm with mud ponds.

Digging the ponds will take alot of money, muscles, and man hours so we made an agreement with and excavation company, they get free dirt, we get a free ponds! The first pond that will be constructed is a 4 acre pond in the lower creek area. This pond will eventually be a japanese garden. We wont be raising koi in these ponds, as they may flood. These ponds will just be for recreation. We have all of our permits and are ready to dig!

4 acre pond with two upstream ponds to catch silt
December 2012. The heavy equipment has arrived. AKA The Big Boy Toys.
December 2012. Breaking first ground on the west silt pond.
January 2013. They hauled out over 300 tandem loads in one week during freezing weather!
Progress on the big pond after one week!
Starting to get deep!
My Bobcat E32 looks like a toy compared to the Komatsu!
I'm starting to see it!
The 4 acre pond starting to look like a pond!
Winter is here thats it for this year!