Bleach solution OK for fly control?

[QChickieMama]

Beneath the quail pens, we're having a significant fly population. Well, actually, those flies are on the walls, on the roof, everywhere. Would it be advisable to spray a 5% bleach solution beneath and around the pens but not actually on the birds?

Do you think it'll help?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

DE can help to dry out the poop that is likely attracting the flies. Also, believe it or not, the vanilla scented car trees act as a pretty decent repellent.
I don't know anything about the efficacy of using bleach for fly control..

 

[QChickieMama]

I can try DE. I'm looking for a source for huge quantities of it, food grade. However, this one pen gets rain water beneath it, and it rains frequently here. I don't know if the idea of drying out the poop is a feasible one. RIght now, there are swarms of larvae beneath the pens-----nastiness! I want to kill it all but I have to be careful of the dogs and chickens that roam beneath the quail pens.

 

[ranit]

I also have to worry about my chickens that free range so I use the fly traps - the ones you put the bait in and the flies get in but can't get back out of. It's amazing how quickly they fill up.

 

[chickbird]

PUT A BAG OF THE LARGE WOOD SHAVINGS UNDERNEATH AND TURN THEM EVERY DAY AND KEEP UNDERNEATH DRY FROM WATER. CHANGE THE SHAVINGS AS NEEDED, YOU CAN ALSO SPRAY THE SHAVINGS AND WALLS WITH PERMETHRIN-10, FROM TRACTOR SUPPLY. ABOUT ONE OUNCE TO A GALLON OF WATER, FIRST CLEAN OUT FROM UNDER THE CAGE BEFORE PUTTING THE SHAVINGS AND SPRAYING , HAS REALLY CUT DOWN ON MY FLY PROBLEM, DO NOT SPRAY YOUR BIRDS, JUST THE SHAVINGS. THE SHAVINGS WILL DRY OUT THE POOP AND REALLY CUT DOWN ON FLIES. IF YOU ALLOW THE POOP TO REMAIN WET, MAGGOTS WILL GET IN IT AND I WOULD NOT WANT MY CHICKENS EATING THEM,

 

[Puyallup Chris]

I can try DE.

DE? What is that? (Who wants to bet I am having a DUH moment?)

 

[devinthesaint]

diatomaceous earth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

 

[cva34]

I just hang some FLY ribbons around.I have had really good luck with them Hang some HI some LO..Brand wise some are way better than others .Here they sell 4 diff around here : sented ,un sented and couple brands.My FLY's like ;CATCHMASTER sented. I bought 1 of each and hung within a few inches of each other The catchmaster sented would fill up in 24hrs (meaning there was not room for another fly to land and get stuck) un-countable..The other brands caught flys but 20 / 30 or so each ....cva34

 

[QChickieMama]

I just hang some FLY ribbons around.I have had really good luck with them Hang some HI some LO..Brand wise some are way better than others .Here they sell 4 diff around here : sented ,un sented and couple brands.My FLY's like ;CATCHMASTER sented. I bought 1 of each and hung within a few inches of each other The catchmaster sented would fill up in 24hrs (meaning there was not room for another fly to land and get stuck) un-countable..The other brands caught flys but 20 / 30 or so each ....cva34

Thanks for the recommendation. I tried spraying bleach beneath the pens yesterday--didn't work at all. I may have killed a few germs on all the flies and maggots. Ha!

So, off to get fly ribbons.

 

[WillsC]

Don't the chickens eat the maggots? My muscovy ducks eat the maggots and the young ducks spend hours snapping up the flies.