Fly Issue

[Peytons Poultry]

There have been a lot of house flies in my coop lately, and keep coming back. I clean my coop weekly, so this shouldn't be a problem. The flies also lay eggs in the hen's poop

. Does anyone know of a product that will kill flies and their larvae, keep future ones away, doesn't smell awful and not harm my chickens? I've been using fly and louse powder, but apparently it doesn't work very well. Thanks!

 

[shmccarthy]

At tractor supply, and probably other feed stores, they sell (I cannot remember the brand) this fly trap that looks like a chicken waterer, but with a reverse funnel thing going up. You just fill it with water, and this attractant they provide and hang it were you have flies. I hung mine 4 foot off the ground and the chickens couldn't reach it. You have to mess with it a bit to spill it and they can't land or roost on it. I had those little tiny flies that were slightly larger than gnats and caught about 200 in the trap. It is disposable and needs to be changed about every 2 weeks but is only about $6-$7. I found it to be highly effective, and you don't have to spray or touch anything. Just throw it away in the end.

Edit: after re reading your post, it won't keep large away, but the smell of the product they give attracts flies. It coats them in this goo and I had some eggs and larve in mine. So they stopped laying in the poop. That might help a bit.
I need to get another one tomorrow because the flies have come back again for me too.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"The flies also lay eggs in the hen's poop."

You need enough bedding to absorb the moisture so they can't breed