HELP! Fly Problem - Deep Litter Method

[CrazyTalk]

If you're having flies reproduce in your litter, your litter is staying too wet. Maggots need a lot of moisture.

We're working on fly problems with our ducks, but moving the chickens into the duck pen usually clears it up quick - the ducks splash and keep everything wet.

Take a look at your watering system, and see if there's a way to dry things out.

 

[austintxchick]

Thanks CrazyTalk. I'm not seeing maggots yet and the pine shavings are dry. There's a ton of food spillage under the shavings and it's all dry too. The problem is the flies! They mostly started when I gave the girls a watermelon.

 

[blondiebee181]

Oh yeah...the flies flock in whenever I give my ladies any treats, including melon....so I always have to clean it up good after they are done.

 

[Davidhalpern2]

Any one have any suggestions for fly control when composting the chicken manure?

 

[vehve]

Any one have any suggestions for fly control when composting the chicken manure?

Turning, and not wetting too much.

 

[Davidhalpern2]

I turn daily!

 

[vehve]

I turn daily!

Then it's not hot enough. You could build an insulated composter.

 

[EastTXChickens]

The pic is my droppings deck with food grade DE (Amazon) and Sweet PDZ (feed store).

We live in fly territory thanks to the area corporate chicken farms and it can get bad, like now. I have zero flies on my poop deck which is amazing.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/10/the-deep-litter-method-of-waste.html

The above discusses the deep litter method.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Davidhalpern2]

I have the exact same set up. I live in West TN Hot and Humid!! If I don't scoop out the poop DAILY it's a big time fly problem.

 

[EastTXChickens]

Here's the weird thing, while I scoop every morning, the top of the droppings are not yet covered by the litter, yet there are no flies! Why they're not buzzing the droppings by mid morning is beyond me.

Guess I need to knock on wood.