ducks poop / flies / fly predators

[New duck mommy 2021]

This is my first time also to have multiple ducks (13) and boy, the flies were outrageous! Fly traps helped but we did frequent water dumps of their kiddie pools (they range during the day and swim in our small pond) I turn the bedding daily, but only scoop all and add fresh weekly - but we put it to a compost pile, so I found that turning the poop and sprinkling with lye dramatically cut down the flies. Ducks are dirty little creatures, I have muscovies, a pair of pekins and a quad of mallards - odd that the mallards are the best groomed!

They are messy but yet they themselves love to be clean
My ducks are always bathing and preening

 

[Awaytome]

I use chopped straw with Zeolite for bedding. It absorbs odors and moisture and is easy to scoop up the poops if you are so inclined. There are several brands, Standlee Flock Fresh is what I use, and I also sprinkle Sweet PDZ Stall Refresher on the ground or on straw beds for my sheep as well as ducks.
https://sweetpdz.com/what-is-sweet-pdz/

 

[Audi0]

Well I bit the bullet & ordered some fly predators. Question still stands though....

I know this is from the Summer but Did they help????? Where did you get them ?? Thanks for the information!

 

[SJEP]

Good for awhile, but I couldn't order another batch because they were out of stock. I had to hang up some of those Fly Rescue bag's to get more of them. They stink and that's what attracts the flies to them, so don't hang them up too close to where you or your duck's normally go.

Those bags can be made out of old soda bottles too. I cant tell you exactly, but lots of methods are online.

 

[Miss Lydia]

One time I had those stinky things hung out and thought something had crawled under the coop and died, till I remembered what it was