Flies

[10 pollos]

I have a bit of a problem, I seem to have attracted every fly in the area. I have a section in my yard about 300 square feet that belongs to my 8 chickens.
I clean the coop every morning and pick up poop in the yard every afternoon. i also rake up the bits I cant get. I have a blue light/bug zapper thing that
does nothing! and sometimes I even spray flying insect killer. Adjacent to my chickens on the other side of the wall is my neighbor, who has been complaning
about the flies. We live in an Urban area but chickens are allowed. I have also tried hanging those bags that you put water in and smell like a dead body, that is
what brought in the big flies. Im not sure what to do. HELP!

 

[Nostalchic]

On a small property, I think those fly traps with attractant actually do bring in more flies. I really like using the old fashioned stick fly strips - common stable flies and many other flies seek high, warm places at night, so hang it up high as you can in your coop. Also, make sure the manure you collect is contained in something covered and air tight. I made the mistake of putting mine in an old composter with air vents which the flies could get into, and the fly population soared almost immediately. When I put it in a plastic trash barrel with a tight fitting top, it took care of it.

 

[Buugette]

Read this... it works.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=368487

D

 

[Muggsmagee]

Get rid of the bag...pronto! Those fly strips are the way to go.

 

[10 pollos]

I'm going to try the vanilla Christmas trees. Wish me luck!

 

[10 pollos]

so I went to target and got the last 3 pack of vanilla christmas trees, hung one up in the coop and one in the run and guess what?! no flies!
Last night and this morning. Its a bit hot here in southern California and the flies are pretty bad. I will keep you all posted hopefully this will work for a while!

 

[Buugette]

Its amazing... sometimes the littlist things can make the difference. Note: Since BYC has found out about those air fresheners... you can't find them anywhere. Buy them when you find them...

 

[BethieofVA]

I did the trees, didn't work although I enjoyed the smell. LOL! I am getting some flie strips.

 

[sotelomary]

My husband read that 26 out of 28 people said the following worked:

Fill a small zip lock baggie with water and 5 pennies. Hang up high.

He hung ours from the canopy over our french doors which "someone" was always leaving open. We didn't get any flies that day. Now I just keep an eye on the door to be sure it's always closed. I don't like to test this theory on my house. But it seems to work. He explained how the movement of the water against the pennies reflect and this somehow makes the flies dizzy or distracts them. Something like that.

Mary