Fly control! Healthy Pen Spray

[wallawu]

With the Arkansas heat really kicking things up a notch, flies were becoming a huge problem. I live in a subdivision, so I try to keep my ducks happy so they're quiet, and clean so the neighbors aren't bombarded with flies. We do a lot of entertaining, so our back yard and deck gets a lot of use. Two weeks ago the flies were starting to get ridiculous, so I went searching for healthy alternatives to fly control. I have the bags and buckets, and they just get full, with hundreds of flies swarming around my feet as I go to collect and toss those things out.

I found this, which has been talked about in two posts before...

https://www.mypetchicken.com/catalo...st-Parasite-and-Odor-Control-32-oz-p1884.aspx

It was going to get in just in time for this past Saturday when we threw a party for our nephew's first birthday at our house. I looked at the ingredients, and they all checked out as safe for the ducks. It said it has both geranium oil and lemongrass oil in it. I just so happened to have both and I mixed a few drops of each in a squirt bottle and went to town on the straw in their pen that was covered in flies. I noticed the spots I sprayed had fewer flies, and they for the most part became concentrated in the spots I hadn't sprayed. This was promising.

So the bottle came in Thursday, and I got up Saturday morning and gave a good spray. I soaked the pen and their house, then lightly sprayed around the yard. I realized later that this forced them towards the grill, the deck, and our back door, so next time I'll probably spray that stuff down, too, to limit flies coming inside. I'd recommend buying the refill bottle with the sprayer because this stuff goes quickly.

Fast forward to this morning, after a good storm yesterday. I'm usually greeted with a fleet buzzing on the ground. Not... one... fly...

Not in their food, not in their house, not on the ground. Very pleased with this stuff. It smells great, and it claims to reduce unpleasant odor through the enzymes breaking down droppings differently. All I know is, it seems to have really worked on repelling flies. If this turns out to be a fluke, I'll come back and update. Good luck!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Livestock attracts flies.. But the come and go in cycles.
I use bait containers and strips. No pesticides. Rainy season is the worst time of the year.

 

[wallawu]

Livestock attracts flies.. But the come and go in cycles.
I use bait containers and strips. No pesticides. Rainy season is the worst time of the year.

View attachment 1453218​

This stuff isn't a pesticide either. It's mostly liquid DE (some may say that's a pesticide, but I wouldnt). We don't have to stop eating eggs or anything like that. Very happy about it.

 

[AleRae78]

Good to know, as I am battling flies like mad here too!

 

[llombardo]

Oh I'm seeing more and more, but they aren't in the coops, they are outside in the run.

Does vinegar work? Anyone?

 

[llombardo]

So what do they do? Put powdered DE and mc in the liquid? I got DE and lemongrass, heck I might even have geranium....

 

[wallawu]

So what do they do? Put powdered DE and mc in the liquid? I got DE and lemongrass, heck I might even have geranium....

No idea, but it has been about 8 days and they're just now starting to become noticeable. I'll probably spray again sometime this week.

Two notes: First, you probably need a medium that will absorb the spray. In the spots where the straw got thinned out, flies would congregate on the dirt or rocks. I'd definitely recommend having a thick layer of straw or shavings of some sort. Sand may also do the trick, but if it rains you may have to reapply.

Second, get ready for flies to find other areas. I was outside grilling all day Saturday at the opposite end of the yard and they were all over the grill and side shelves. Probably a dozen flies or so. I sprayed around with the mixture I made of lemongrass and geranium and it helped a little, but I couldn't spray everywhere. Had to set up a big fan by the back door so they wouldn't fly into the house. I already ordered the big bottle, and I'll probably spray the deck and around the grill to see if it helps.

Hope someone else benefits from this stuff, too!

 

[wallawu]

Oh I'm seeing more and more, but they aren't in the coops, they are outside in the run.

Does vinegar work? Anyone?

I tried vinegar, and I think you'd need enough vinegar to cover every square inch of the run, and then reapply it every few days. That's just not sustainable. I tried even parts water and vinegar, and it didn't really work.

 

[llombardo]

I'm having more trouble with Mosquitos. I am getting eaten alive out there.

 

[rehsanipoor]

We've been struggling with flies. Thanks @wallawu for the review and especially follow up. I'm going to try the spray. I also have a bottle of flys-x which I spray around. It has Thyme oil, cedar oil, lemongrass oil, rosmary oil, citronella oil, clove oil, and geraniol. I liked that it was all natural and I see a little improvement immediately after spraying, but it sounds like Healthy Pen might have longer lasting effects.