FLIES!!! Are any of these things toxic to chickens?

[Moonkit]

Quote:
I tried the sticky traps (non-toxic!).. but my silly arucana, Artemis was so anxious to get the flies, she jumped up and got a wing stuck on it, struggled, ripped out a bunch of her primaries, and then had sticky gunk all over one side for 2 weeks.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I tried the sticky traps (non-toxic!).. but my silly arucana, Artemis was so anxious to get the flies, she jumped up and got a wing stuck on it, struggled, ripped out a bunch of her primaries, and then had sticky gunk all over one side for 2 weeks.

LOLOL Yeah, I had the same thing happen to one of my Black Stars a few years ago lol. I put her in a cage afterwards (she was ok, lost a few feathers) and gave her some chopped boiled egg mixed with buttermilk...I think she forgot about the ordeal while she scoffed it up! LOL
I've hung them higher since, so far so good.

 

[BlossomSilkies]

Ok, the vanilla didn't do a thing.

The vinegar, dish soap, water spray works for about 5 minutes and then they were back. Would probably work if I stood there and sprayed constantly, but obviously can't do that.

The stinky bag of rot trap works, but isn't making a dent in the fly population in my run.

Same thing with the sticky traps, they work, but not making a dent in the problem.

DE : Hoping it's helps, but sure can't see a difference.

So, not to be negative, but being truthful, I haven't found anything that works, still have a huge fly problem. The combination of heat and moisture, horses near by, and chickens is just a very attractive situation for flies.

I'm open to any other ideas

 

[duckduckturkey]

Okay,

My advice isn't going to help you immediately, but it might come in handy in the future. Frogs.

I had a HUGE ant problem last year. Nightmarish. Hitchcockian. Think, "The Birds" only with nasty, foul, billions of ants. I went out, got a bunch of tubs, filled them with tadpoles and walla! This year, I still have ants, but ha! hardly worth the mention.

Yes, flies are faster than ants, but frogs are faster than flies.

Trouble is, you can't just go out and catch frogs. Frogs hop away looking for home. Tadpoles grow up in their sweet little ponds and think, Aaaahhhh Home! So they stick around when they get to be frogs. Also, you will need a naturalized area for the frogs that the chickens can't reach as I do believe chickens will peck at frogs if not eat them outright. You'll also have to keep an eye out for mosquitoes during the tadpole stage. It's easy to net them out, but you have to be sure you don't get the tadpoles, too. Tadpoles don't eat mosquito larvae. Fish do, but they also eat tadpoles. So you have to wait until the tadpoles have turned into frogs before putting the fish in the ponds. There's a trick to it, but trust me, it can be done! I've done it! And it's actually kind of fun.

Just be sure you don't get bull frogs. They get big enough to go after chicks!

Not much help now, but look to the future!

Don't people make traps with jars and lids? so the fly goes in to get the rotten meat, but then flies up to the light and can't get out? Works like those carnivorous plants.

Which, I've had those and they do work! I don't know where you live, but it's worth looking into. (Again, not a quick fix.) My plants were doing well for a while, but then failed for the following reason: They do NOT like chlorinated water, so, if you don't have total control over the watering situation in your area, they might not be so happy. There are some great books on the subject, check them out, then check out the plants, they are so cool! If the flies are as bad as you say, you will have to make a habit of cleaning out the plants traps from time to time, as over eating isn't any better for the plants than it is for humans. But I prattle. Go! Read on the topic and have fun with it!

In the mean time... have you tried herbs?

I know citronella, and all the other things you mentioned are OUT! Do NOT go there! But what about rosemary? basil? or (gag) corsician mint? I'm asking, not advising. Hops?

Boy, now you have me wondering

Best of luck!

 

[AngelzFyre]

Just for future reference if anything ever gets caught that's not supposed to in those gluey fly traps or even glue traps for rodents use regular cooking oil to release the goo off them.
You may have to use a lot but it does work great. Hadda use it on a kitten one time that thought it was really fun to step on the glue trap I thought I'd hidden better behind boxes in our storage room. It got the trap off and most of the residual goo just slipped off the hair like loose chewing gum.

 

[bellamaria]

Try planting lavender and mint around the perimeter of the pen, the chooks won't touch the lavender I don't know why they just don't. You might also consider buying fly traps from a hardware store, the pot style that you mix water with the sticky substance and hang they are sort of like the fruit fly traps you can get.
Also lime your pen with hydrated lime as it reduces the odour caused by the chickens and can deter the flies, this is something that will need to be done on a weekly basis though to be truly effective. It sweetens the earth and the area the fowl are in.
As for the citronella, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender and all other essential oils, they can be toxic to your animals and should be avoided.

 

[DawnM]

We never had a major problem with flies but flies to me are like spiders to most people. I can't stand them and I hate it when they land on me. We tried everything before giving up and getting Muscovy ducks. I think most ducks are good with flies but Muscovies have personalities more like chickens so the 3 ducks fit right into the flock. They are relentless fly chasers and they cut the population down to almost zero. We also put a couple fly traps down close to the ground where the chickens could catch them easier. The flies are not entirely gone but if I notice any there is usually a duck stalking them. If its possible to have ducks I would definately take that route.

 

[TXchickmum]

We potted mint near the coops. It really helps, and the chickens won't touch it. Also, we hung a fly trap (bag which they crawl into and can't get out) high on the fence which filled with flies this spring. -no issues since. We literally scoop all of the poop out of the run/coop, daily, too. This helps as well.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I have tried lots of things to get rid of flies. They didn't work very well... :\ I got 3 Muscovy ducks and they fit right in with the chickens, but they didn't do a thing for the fly population. If anything the extra poop drew even more flies. One of my duck hens hatched out babies a few months ago so now I have 8 almost fully grown Muscovies and almost no flies at all! So, it seems to take more than 3, but muscovies work wonders! I love it! We have more flies in the house than in the coop now.

 

[cgmccary]

On my farm we have some flies, but they are never a problem. I have some cows, a donkey, 6 Geese and about 80 chickens (all living pretty close to the house). FIRST, I get a shipment of these small gnat-size wasps each month from say February to November from Arbico. I have used them for years. I make sure I put them where the chickens cannot eat them. They work wonders. Here: http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/fly-control-program (I get the 1/2 unit.)

SECOND: I encourage toads, bats & birds. I put up two bathouses on my barns, one is a three chamber. I encourage birds & toads to the yard and place. I have a number of flycathers (Crested, Least, Kingbird, other small ones) all about the place (the Crested will use a birdhouse). I allow the Chimney Swifts to roost in my Chimney during the Spring and Summer (in the Winter, they migrate to Peru). Also, I have noticed my Buckeyes picking those big horseflies off my cows. I do not use pesticides (these would harm the toads, birds, bats) . DE is useless for flies.

I also have a solar fly trap but find that I really do not need it. The Arbico wasps are very effective. Some notable horse stables use them.