How Do I Manage Flies?

[Chickenhappy8708]

It is the start of a LOOOOONG summer. The flies are already getting bad, I know they Carrie deadly diseases, and my chickens are not vaccinated. Any tips for a fly free zone?

 

[wildwort]

When I raised cornish cross chicks a couple of years ago...eat and poop machines, I hung fly strips that I bought at the co-op. I used them in my coop as well, but I did have a chicken get tangled during a fracas..only time I had a fly problem.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

Although flies can infest a wound and cause fly strike, I have never yet heard of flies carrying any disease that would effect chickens.. mine eat any flies they can. In fact flies, consuming and processing dead stuff may prevent disease... their like garbage collectors getting rid of the nasty stuff.

Some folks even make use of maggot buckets... attracting the flies to lay their eggs... then the chickens in theory eat the maggot when the crawl out of the growing medium and fall to the ground in order to pupate.

Keeping waste disposed of can go a long way towards keeping fly populations down.

I use bait traps... with screw on lids.. put something dead smelling inside like raw meat trimmings you were gonna toss anyways. They love rotting potato which smells just like death. The need to have enough warmth to really stew up the smell and plenty of water, moist stuff stinks worse than dry and the deeper water helps them die/drown faster when they get knocked down by others flying around.

If I have something dead or gross.. I will put it out to attract all the flies to and invite them to lay their eggs.. which they happily comply during the all day warmth... at dusk they disappear and I dispose of the fly blown whatever... bagging it tight or burying it deep so the babies never hatch at my place... they might hatch in the bag at the dump but doubt they can get out! (to the flies).

Also when they do disappear, they are sleeping somewhere near by. I use a Permethrin based horse fly (and premises) spray... on the walls, roost, etc as it also fights mites and lice. The main reason I bought it was to keep mosquitoes off my dogs. But it's very effective at treating many things when used according to directions. It IS labeled for use in chickens.

Humidity always increases fly activity at my place... like when I use the hose in the mornings and the ground is wet. Keeping things dry can help. Sometimes I use PDZ on my droppings boards etc. I'm not a fan of DE plus it's ineffective in my environment, so avoid that at all cost

Hope this gives you some ideas!

 

[Silkie owner]

What I do is I like to put lemon balm plants in with my chicks. It’s a great fly repellent and the chickens love to eat it!

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Thank you! Ill look for the fly strips, and I'm sure I can find horse fly spray at TSC. I've been looking into finding some repealing plants as well. Thanks again!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I forgot to say that one reason I mention the flies going to sleep is that's a great time to seek them out a swat them dead as they're slow and less aware of the eminent danger coming their way.. in the house I go around and check the ceiling as it has been a popular location in the past. They also aim for light... so they tend to be in window areas often. Yes they do have it at TSC in the equine section under many different brand names and concentrations from ready to use or dilute yourself in another sprayer. To use a premises spray I might go with concentrate and use a garden spray.

For treating birds only as needed for lice or mites I prefer to use a spritz bottle directly to the skin below the vent, under each wing pit, and to the back nape of the neck where it meets the head (as head lice don't travel to the body).. Just a very small amount is needed, soaking not required... just as a sorta pre-FYI, since you didn't state an actual need to treat your birds for anything... Checking after dark, with a flashlight will give the best picture. or looking for angry skin during the daytime Angry skin is ALWAYS an indicator of something. Also work on fleas, roaches, termites, earwigs, and many more.. NOT considered effective against scaly leg mite or (the less common) depluming mite.

Careful not to use the fly spray on cats as their livers do not process this agent through and it can build to toxic levels for them. Also probably not near any pond or other fish type source (mealworm, red wiggller, etc type colonies) as it's considered toxic to aquatic life. Has some residual effect but breaks down in light.

 

[Folly's place]

For the coop and chickens, use a product labeled for them. I buy Gordon's permethrin spray concentrate, and the permethrin Poultry Dust, so it's safe to use in the coop and on the birds.
Keep cats away from it!!! Once the spray is dry in the coop, the cats will be safe, but they don't manage permethrin at doses safe for many other critters, so be careful about that.
Mary

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Thanks, ill keep that in mind

 

[Folly's place]

My birds would eat lemon balm faster than it can grow, and the mint didn't do well out there either. They do leave the catnip alone, and of course some of the most noxious weeds, like sticktights, that I'd love them to gobble up!
Mary
ps. They don't eat nettles either, and I'm not cooking them for us.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

I'm thinking of like tomato planters, I probably could put those around the plant, making them leave the roots alone, and still letting them nibble on the plants. Right?