Need to get rid of FLYS!!! they are constantly on the chickens and ducks food. Any ideas? - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by PartyOnARoost 

Maggots feed off of chickens and thir blood

Umm, really? I don't think you're on the right thread, we're talking about flies. For the record, fly maggots do NOT feed off of chickens or their blood unless your chickens are dead, in which case I think you have a bigger problem. Getting rid of the maggots will help the overall problem though.

For a recent fly explosion, use traps. Keep them changed out when you see them full.

Maggots only eat chickens if the eggs were laid in an open wound. They won't just crawl onto the bird or anything like that.

Flies need warmth and moisture to reproduce. Dry out everything the best you can, set a lot of those fly traps (day one doesn't see much action, the attractant needs to get stinky and then they'll come in droves)

If you have compost, be sure it's processing hot (cool compost can be breeding sites for bugs, good compost is too hot for bugs to reproduce in)

Take extra care around duck areas, the water splashing, constant poo, and damp feed will bring flies in. Keep it as dry as you can.

Hang vanilla scented car fresheners in the coop and runs, set up the fly traps outside of the runs. Where you put the trap is where they will congregate, so don't put the traps in with the birds.

Spalding Labs sells bugs that eat flies.My sister-in-law buys them for her cows and horses and I emailed the company and it is safe for chickens.

People have had success with the hanging vanilla trees.  Check out this link:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/382037/vanilla-fly-controll  

Jack

Get a horse.  My pasture circles my coop/run on 2 sides.  I almost never see a fly near the chickens - but fight them by the dozens on the horse - in her ears, around her mouth, chewing her legs till they bleed - fly sprays/powders/spot-ons have little effect..  Maybe I can hang a few water baggies w/pennies in them from her mane and tail.

I hang those sticky fly traps inside the house and run and make sure i clean out the bedding etc every other day at least, its not so hot here though so the flies only tend to go for the hen house as its warmer there xx
 

Mix some DE in with the chicken food. From what I understand, DE will kill the flies. I've heard it will also kill the flies that land on the poop because it is passed through the digestive system of the chicken. It won't hurt the chicken at all and in fact is good for them. So you're doing double duty with one shot. Flies eat the food, chickens eat the food, flies die because of the DE in the food and DE in the chicken poop.

The penny in the water bag works well too. I tried it last weekend and it seemed to really keep the flies at bay. Word of advice though, keep the bag up high enough that the chickens can't peck at it. My BA nipped a hole in the bag and it leaked. LOL! She was after the penny.

I haven't tried the vanilla tree yet but will pick some up this weekend.
 

Hummmmm.... just looked up the MSDS and now I'm thinking that I might be braiding some little trees into my mare's mane and tail.

http://www.chem-wipe.com/msds2010/Little%20Tree's%20MSDS.pdf

Here is a safe and awesome way to get rid of flies! This works the only thing is if you live in a cold climate you have to replenish them every year but they are awesome. This along with some traps to get the adults and flies will go bye bye.

http://www.spalding-labs.com/