how can I keep the flies down in my chicken run.........

[johnny5819]

could I use bleach in the chicken run to control the flies......

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What's your climate?
I wouldn't use bleach. I don't think it will do much. You want the debris to break down and bleach will stop any bacterial activity.
Here's a good product.
http://www.gro2max.com/#!farm360

You can also use golden malrin fly bait at a remote location.

 

[johnny5819]

okay ,thanks I will try this...for now I have been using the water hose and just let the sun dry it up . the temp here is 81

 

[Beekissed]

How about starting some deep litter in your run and pretty soon the flies will have nothing to be attracted to as the poop will be buried under the litter by the chickens. Please don't bleach your run...you'll kill all the soil and what will regrow there first will be the harmful things.

 

[johnny5819]

Are you talking about cat litter????

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I assume she's referring to deep pine shavings like most people use in their coops. You would need a covered run for that to keep the bedding dry.

 

[aart]

okay ,thanks I will try this...for now I have been using the water hose and just let the sun dry it up . the temp here is 81

What is your run 'floor' made of?

Here is a good description of what Bee is talking about: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992

 

[Beekissed]

Are you talking about cat litter????

No...not cat litter. I'm talking about different kinds of materials that one puts in the coop and run to mix with the manure and provide healthier footing for your chickens. Here's a vid that helps:

The chickens love to scratch up this material and, in doing so, they bury their own feces within it. You'll want to try using a variety of materials for the best litter...it doesn't do quite as well if you use all one kind of material, like pine shavings or straw, but a variety of kinds and types works best: leaves, twigs, pine needles, pine cones, sprinklings of hay or straw now and again, dried grass clippings, bark, wood chips, weeds, corn stalks and shucks, etc.

In the run you can build it as deep as you like and the deeper the better...usually does better if at least 6 in. deep and can perform well clear up to 2 ft. deep. You'll just need something along the sides to contain your material so it doesn't fall or get kicked through the fencing.

 

[chicapee]

I rakes up a loaf of pine straw and leaves yesterday and put them in my runs. They love it, they scratch in it and crumble up the leaves. When mixed with the poop it makes great compost. I never have flies. Just keep adding different types of garden carbon. I use a chipper shredder to break up small limbs and add that too.

 

[HTChick]

Haven't used these for my run yet but I got the idea off of a chicken blog:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D8N8F26?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

They work great on the huge batches of flies we get here in west Texas after a rain.

They also suggested this but I haven't used it yet:

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Poison..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=0RMCPD6TX6AC05MJ6DH7

OKay, I found the original post (yay for Pinterest)
http://imaginacres.com/how-to-rid-your-chicken-coop-of-flies/