Flies much?

[ehoneybee]

We're getting flies in the house, which I assume is equal parts summer, living in farm country, and having chickens. I have 8 chickens and clean their 2 coops weekly. There are flies around their fenced in area but not a huge amount. They are in dirt, which I think is good so they can take dirt baths, however, I've read some people use straw on the ground to keep up with the poop. What's your perfect set up that detracts flies? I'm thinking keeping the poop down under the straw might help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Not just straw... aim for deep litter or semi deep litter...

Use old leaves, shaving, pine needles... anything you can to make it like the forest floor.

Bare dirt just lets an over abundance of bad microbes flourish inviting disease. But building up an ecosystem that invites good bacteria and microbes, also bugs to thrive and give the chickens something to scratch around for.

Also... I would consider making a homemade fly trap using an inverted water or soda bottle lid like a funnel with bait inside. Suggest using apple or maybe old raw meat (you know just a sliver cut off before cooking). I was surprised to read apple... but nit long ago there was stuff on the counter and I couldn't believe out of everything the fly kept landing on the apple!

 

[ehoneybee]

Not just straw... aim for deep litter or semi deep litter...

Use old leaves, shaving, pine needles... anything you can to make it like the forest floor.

Bare dirt just lets an over abundance of bad microbes flourish inviting disease. But building up an ecosystem that invites good bacteria and microbes, also bugs to thrive and give the chickens something to scratch around for.

Also... I would consider making a homemade fly trap using an inverted water or soda bottle lid like a funnel with bait inside. Suggest using apple or maybe old raw meat (you know just a sliver cut off before cooking). I was surprised to read apple... but nit long ago there was stuff on the counter and I couldn't believe out of everything the fly kept landing on the apple!

Thank you for the tips! I have hay and wood shavings I use in the coops and my husband just mowed the lawn so I can add grass clippings and old leaves, too.