FLIES!

[JanetS]

Something we use more for mosquito's than flies, here in Florida, is putting patio screen (over the hardware cloth) on the windows of the coop. At night when the girls are all
closed in no mosquito's can get in. I don't have a problem with flies in coop either. Won't help in the run though.

 

[Caroline1601]

Thank goodness for BYC! I live in the UK and only have a small garden. Even though I let the chickens free range they still are only feeling confident to explore at least a metre square. I have been cleaning out the coop daily and picking up the poo that I can see in my flower bed. Any runny poos I have been hosing down..... I think that might be the problem!

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

perhaps you are dealing with Cluster Flies.

" The cluster fly maggot is an internal parasite of earthworms and the flies are among the first to be active in the spring."

They are also attracted to light colored structures and often enter the home through damaged/lifted vinyl siding. We had a cluster fly issue in our Rv, which was light tan & has damaged vinyl. Id kill a dozen at a time! They often hang out by windows.

On the plus side if it is cluster flies then it's a good sign you have a big earthworm population nearby.

http://www.pestid.msu.edu/InsectsArthropods/ClusterFlyPolleniarudis/tabid/254/Default.aspx

 

[KarenWoman]

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH can be found at feed stores, buchheits, and on line at the Bulk Herb store.
Its cheaper at Buchheits if you have one near you. Most feed stores will carry it or order it for you if you ask them to.
Good luck.

 

[KarenWoman]

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH can be found at feed stores, buchheits, and on line at the Bulk Herb store.
Its cheaper at Buchheits if you have one near you. Most feed stores will carry it or order it for you if you ask them to.

Get a lot and use it on the walls too. Make sure it is snow white not the gray.
You can worm your chickens with it too.

Put a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the water, this helps build amine system and keeps fly's away from water.

I herd of a fly trap made of 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of vinegar with some water in a 2 leader soda bottle. I am trying this now for the gnat's.
Not sure if it works yet but i will let you know.

 

[chrisnjenny]

Ugh.... all this looks a little discouraging. guess I can try a little of everything. Vanilla air freshners bags of water w pennies clean and dry coop and fly traps... surely somthing will work did I miss anything?

 

[chrisnjenny]

I tried a couple things but what ive found is working best so far is a good old fashion fly strip right out side the cage... it made a huge difference in just one day

 

[TCchickies13]

I'm a fly control professional (an Independent Pest Control Operator).
While manure management is important, the truth is that the flies tend to breed in the first 2-5" of the soil. The life cycle of the various flies requires more than the coop floor can provide. Think about it- you would be able to see fly larvae/maggots if the breeding area was in the coop.

The simplest means to begin controlling fly issues is to apply Agricultural Lime to raise the Ph of the soil to 6.8-7.0, if possible. Flies require an acidic medium for successful breeding. Determine the Ph and apply the necessary quantity of lime. This will be an annual chore that is well worth the effort. Your birds will enjoy healthier and more nutritious grasses as a result of this simple fix.

If the issue is to the point of "Wow, look at all the flies", I would recommend Cyflutrhin (Tempo Ultra WP made by Bayer) applied to the exterior of the coop. Cyflthrin has excellent "knock down" properties. Generally, the flies prefer to be in the sun and don't care much for shade. Following the directions on the label, treat the west and south sides of the coop where the flies congregate. Cyfluthrin is also very effective on mites and lice. This is a safe and proven insecticide that has a very low toxicity for people, pets and livestock. The chemical has a finite life- about 30-45 days- it will degrade quickly and leave no residue in the environment. If used, simply allow it to dry completely before allowing the birds in and around the coop.

If you are more patient in your efforts, you could use a natural control mechanism. There exist many insects that are fly predators (use that as a search term). These predators, consisting of natural and indigenous species of flies and very small, non-stinging wasps, can be purchased online very easily (the species vary depending on one's geographic location). This mechanism of control will take a year or so and must be repeated annually. I have used this method for some of my clients that have a desire for a more organic means of fly control and it really works.

Good Luck

 

[hausfrau77]

I'm a fly control professional (an Independent Pest Control Operator).

The simplest means to begin controlling fly issues is to apply Agricultural Lime to raise the Ph of the soil to 6.8-7.0, if possible. Flies require an acidic medium for successful breeding. Determine the Ph and apply the necessary quantity of lime. This will be an annual chore that is well worth the effort. Your birds will enjoy healthier and more nutritious grasses as a result of this simple fix.

Good Luck

Thanks for responding with these tips, I will add them to my arsenal. Flies were a surprise problem, (learned the hard way that our composters best location is far away from the run in summer not a mere few feet away LoL) hopefully relocation and some disposable traps(smells so bad! Gag!) will also help out. I made a wine/vinegar, a tunafish chicken juice molasses trap for some aggressive yellowjackets that are bugging the girls.

Can anyone tell me if I should set the traps near the run (to catch the flies when they come to smell the fresh droppings and maybe entice them to their deaths? Or at the furthest end of the yard (where I will be composting the waste with garden trimmings?) Or one every 10 feet?

 

[sferle]

I'm a fly control professional (an Independent Pest Control Operator).
While manure management is important, the truth is that the flies tend to breed in the first 2-5" of the soil. The life cycle of the various flies requires more than the coop floor can provide. Think about it- you would be able to see fly larvae/maggots if the breeding area was in the coop.

The simplest means to begin controlling fly issues is to apply Agricultural Lime to raise the Ph of the soil to 6.8-7.0, if possible. Flies require an acidic medium for successful breeding. Determine the Ph and apply the necessary quantity of lime. This will be an annual chore that is well worth the effort. Your birds will enjoy healthier and more nutritious grasses as a result of this simple fix.

If the issue is to the point of "Wow, look at all the flies", I would recommend Cyflutrhin (Tempo Ultra WP made by Bayer) applied to the exterior of the coop. Cyflthrin has excellent "knock down" properties. Generally, the flies prefer to be in the sun and don't care much for shade. Following the directions on the label, treat the west and south sides of the coop where the flies congregate. Cyfluthrin is also very effective on mites and lice. This is a safe and proven insecticide that has a very low toxicity for people, pets and livestock. The chemical has a finite life- about 30-45 days- it will degrade quickly and leave no residue in the environment. If used, simply allow it to dry completely before allowing the birds in and around the coop.

If you are more patient in your efforts, you could use a natural control mechanism. There exist many insects that are fly predators (use that as a search term). These predators, consisting of natural and indigenous species of flies and very small, non-stinging wasps, can be purchased online very easily (the species vary depending on one's geographic location). This mechanism of control will take a year or so and must be repeated annually. I have used this method for some of my clients that have a desire for a more organic means of fly control and it really works.

Good Luck

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/waukesha-lime-barnlime-50-lb-bag

Would this lime work or does it have to be AG