Flies in the chicken yard

[hsmitty12]

hi everyone, so I’ve got my ducks and chickens in a fenced in yard about 1600 square feet. It’s all dirt at this point after they’ve eaten pretty much any grass. I’ve noticed that I’m starting to see a lot of flies in the area probably from the ground being compacted and there waste sitting on top. Any tips on what I can do to get rid of the flies and smell? I was thinking of section off an area at a time to regrow grass or just tilling everything to let the soil breath. It’s too big an area to try and use de or put any bedding down

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC.

How does the area drain? I would get a few truck loads of wood chips and spread them around. They will help the poop load compost and let water drain away IF the area is sloped away on all sides. You need to dry it out.
How many birds are on that much space?
The other alternative is to greatly increase their space. I fenced in about 1/3 acre of my property using electrified poultry netting with my coop/run sitting within the boundaries. I have to mow the chicken pen as often as my yard. I've never kept more than 27 birds in the set up though.

 

[hsmitty12]

Welcome to BYC.

How does the area drain? I would get a few truck loads of wood chips and spread them around. They will help the poop load compost and let water drain away IF the area is sloped away on all sides. You need to dry it out.
How many birds are on that much space?
The other alternative is to greatly increase their space. I fenced in about 1/3 acre of my property using electrified poultry netting with my coop/run sitting within the boundaries. I have to mow the chicken pen as often as my yard. I've never kept more than 27 birds in the set up though.

Doesn’t drain well as the soils pretty packed down from them walking on it. I’ve got 8 chickens and 5 ducks out there right now. The photos show the area they have access too. I can let them into the other fenced area as I’ve got dogs

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I'd suggest a few things. Watch where the water pools - can you dig some swales to guide water to a lower point so that it's not as mucky. Can you find some carbon materials - leaves, woodchips, dry grass etc. Anything dry and brown and put as much as you can in the area. That will help balance out the high nitrogen of their poop and compost it down faster, creating less attractiveness to flies.

 

[hsmitty12]

I'd suggest a few things. Watch where the water pools - can you dig some swales to guide water to a lower point so that it's not as mucky. Can you find some carbon materials - leaves, woodchips, dry grass etc. Anything dry and brown and put as much as you can in the area. That will help balance out the high nitrogen of their poop and compost it down faster, creating less attractiveness to flies

I'd suggest a few things. Watch where the water pools - can you dig some swales to guide water to a lower point so that it's not as mucky. Can you find some carbon materials - leaves, woodchips, dry grass etc. Anything dry and brown and put as much as you can in the area. That will help balance out the high nitrogen of their poop and compost it down faster, creating less attractiveness to flies.

I was thinking of digging a French drain for water usually it’s the soil getting real hard packed and the bird waste caking on top. Would wood chips work even if they get wet and rained on?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I was thinking of digging a French drain for water usually it’s the soil getting real hard packed and the bird waste caking on top. Would wood chips work even if they get wet and rained on?

Yep! They will act like a sponge, especially if piled deeply. My yard is in a low lying area and it's incredibly never pooled with water since I've been putting thick layers of woodchips every couple years. It also creates amazing compost you can access when you need it! French drain or simple swales should help a lot as well to redirect the water.

 

[aart]

it’s the soil getting real hard packed and the bird waste caking on top.

If there's nothing there to help decompose the poops, that's what's gonna happen.

Would wood chips work even if they get wet and rained on?

Yes.

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

I agree with everyone else that wood chips are the way to go! Once you get a nice compost going in there the muddy compacted soil should become looser and drain better. The smell will also be gone. I also add other organic material to my run like dried leaves, pine straw, chopped up branches and twigs, coop bedding, straw, etc.