DE not working on flies

[momof3baldwins]

I purchased some food grade DE at Tractor Supply, and I have been spreading it around our chicken run, but it isn't helping the fly problem at all. There must be hundreds of flies out there. I have started putting it in the chickens food also. Our run is just dirt,and we usually keep straw or hay down to cover the dirt. When we spread the DE we just sprinkled it on top of the hay. The first time I did a thin layer, but when that didnt have any effect I went back and put a thicker layer, and it still hasnt helped. Should I be spreading it a certain way, or is there something I should be doing that I am not? Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

DE works best when while in close contact with respiratory openings of insect in a dry environment. It is difficult to keep flies in contact with enough DE and your environment is is likely not dry enough. Where DE is effective, the insects are essentially burrowing through some mixture of the stuff.

DE is sold a lot for applications it is poorly suited for.

 

[centrarchid]

DE works best when while in close contact with respiratory openings of insect in a dry environment. It is difficult to keep flies in contact with enough DE and your environment is is likely not dry enough. Where DE is effective, the insects are essentially burrowing through some mixture of the stuff.

DE is sold a lot for applications it is poorly suited for.

How abundant are the flies, it is generally difficult to erradicate flies under typical backyard conditions. Think more on the lines of control as in keeping numbers down. Can you use wood shavings or sawdust instead of present plant fodder and replace it more often.