Flies...vanilla? DE? Sweet PDZ?

[Lilacfeather]

OK, so I have had my chickens for 1 week, and the flies are here. I use my garden tiller on the run at night, and then put a fresh layer of leaves in after they've gone in the coop for the night. My local TSC has Sweet PDZ. Does this have DE in it? Does it help with flies? Would I use it everyday? How much? Would I sprinkle it in before I till everything under, or on top of the fresh leaves? Will it hurt the chickens if they ingest it?

Geez, could I ask a few more questions?

I did get a fly trap, which already has quite a few flies in it, but it really stinks.

I know with the colder weather coming, they won't be as bad, but I'd like to find something that works pronto!

Thanks!

 

[viktoriacl]

I spinkle DE in the run,the coop and in their food. I never smell a thing and dont have flies! I also put some pine shavings around the run to help absorbe the moisture. No problems and it's been hot this summer! Good luck!

 

[geebs]

DE

 

[UrbanChick101]

I can't remember right away, but the Sweet PDZ doesn't have DE, it has something starting with a "C" and for the life of me, I couldn't even figure out how to say it. We haven't decided what we are going to use. My husband would like to find Stall Dri, and we haven't found it yet in our area. Have a couple more places to check. Many people use Vanilla Car Freshners, and say that works really well to keep flies out. We have sandy dirt in our run, the kids scoop with a kitty litter scoop and we haven't had flies yet. Same in the coop, have shavings and the kids clean the fresh poo daily. Its a great chore. Since I have 3 kids they each get a quarter for whomever wants to earn it. Mainly my 7 & 9 yr. old, sometimes the 5 yr. old. We only have problems with horrible mosquitos, waiting for the cold to knock those out!!!

 

[Lilacfeather]

Quote:
Where do you get it?

 

[Lilacfeather]

Quote:
I have pine shaving in the coop, and I scoop the poo out of that daily. ( no problem there) The run is really dry and sandy right now, but the poo is actually hard to see, so it's hard to pick up. I guess it's why that area is attracting more. I will definitely try to find some DE, since that seems to be the favorite!