Keeping Flies out of the coop

[Rhcecil]

I really want to stay on top of keeping flies out of the coop as much as possible this summer. Last year was awful! What is everyone’s solution to help out with this besides the obviously and cleaning poop out as much as possible. Thanks for all the help!

 

[amk122284]

Is fly tape a possibility? We have a large coop, we have a storage area separated with chicken wire that I plan to stick up a fly tape. If that isnt an option look up fly traps, we also have those sporadically placed all around our property perimeter.

 

[Urbanchicken62]

I've never had a problem with flies, but I do not put food and water inside the coop. EVER.
I add new pine every other weekend or so and throw in a handful of scratch so the chickens will turn it all over. As long as the poop stays dry, the pine and poop breaks down and will compost. I also cover the floor with Manna Pro coop granules when I dig it out.

 

[amk122284]

I've never had a problem with flies, but I do not put food and water inside the coop. EVER.
I add new pine every other weekend or so and throw in a handful of scratch so the chickens will turn it all over. As long as the poop stays dry, the pine and poop breaks down and will compost. I also cover the floor with Manna Pro coop granules when I dig it out.

Just a heads up, some places are just more prone to flies, doesnt matter if there is food, poop, etc. This is our first time ever having chickens, only 3 months in, but we've always had an issue with flys because of where we are located. We are essentially on 60 acres of family compound, 3 homes. We are closest to the road, directly across the street from us is city limits....its like all the flys decide to hover just outside city limits lol

 

[David61]

Its going to be more than one thing that get you what your looking for. Keep it dry, clean and use what you have to. Sweet PDZ, poop boards, pine shavings. Regular cleaning, permethrin 13.3% in bug sprayer, composting the right way, fly traps... If you do all of that half right most of the time it will work. Do just some of that and it will have to be done right all the time.
Poop boads cleaned once a week and 50% or better Sweet PDZ used on them.
Pine flake shaving on floor of covered coop/run. Add some every month or more. Change out twice a year. (every forth month for me)
Rake, fill holes, straighten up once a week. Once month add new shavings to nest box and floor. I put all the nest box shavings on the floor and use new. Ever other month I spray everything with permethrin. When the nest box shavings gets changed, I spray the empty nest, all the wood. Undersides of poop boards, roost boards, floor of coop, run, six feet around the outside of coop and run and the compost pile. Broad cast some sweet PDZ on the ground after raking.
Compost with the right stuff , make three piles.
1) Dry brown leafs and clippings
2) green fresh grass clippings and plants
3) chicken poop and cover with as much from piles one and two.
No flies, no smells no mess. Get it in routine and its not that time consuming.

 

[Rhcecil]

Its going to be more than one thing that get you what your looking for. Keep it dry, clean and use what you have to. Sweet PDZ, poop boards, pine shavings. Regular cleaning, permethrin 13.3% in bug sprayer, composting the right way, fly traps... If you do all of that half right most of the time it will work. Do just some of that and it will have to be done right all the time.
Poop boads cleaned once a week and 50% or better Sweet PDZ used on them.
Pine flake shaving on floor of covered coop/run. Add some every month or more. Change out twice a year. (every forth month for me)
Rake, fill holes, straighten up once a week. Once month add new shavings to nest box and floor. I put all the nest box shavings on the floor and use new. Ever other month I spray everything with permethrin. When the nest box shavings gets changed, I spray the empty nest, all the wood. Undersides of poop boards, roost boards, floor of coop, run, six feet around the outside of coop and run and the compost pile. Broad cast some sweet PDZ on the ground after raking.
Compost with the right stuff , make three piles.
1) Dry brown leafs and clippings
2) green fresh grass clippings and plants
3) chicken poop and cover with as much from piles one and two.
No flies, no smells no mess. Get it in routine and its not that time consuming.

Question on the composting are you adding all these clippings in the coop or talking about what your doing on the outside?

 

[Rhcecil]

Is fly tape a possibility? We have a large coop, we have a storage area separated with chicken wire that I plan to stick up a fly tape. If that isnt an option look up fly traps, we also have those sporadically placed all around our property perimeter.

Yes I have room on top I could use some!

 

[Rhcecil]

I've never had a problem with flies, but I do not put food and water inside the coop. EVER.
I add new pine every other weekend or so and throw in a handful of scratch so the chickens will turn it all over. As long as the poop stays dry, the pine and poop breaks down and will compost. I also cover the floor with Manna Pro coop granules when I dig it out.

I do not put food or water in my coop.

 

[Pixielily]

I really want to stay on top of keeping flies out of the coop as much as possible this summer. Last year was awful! What is everyone’s solution to help out with this besides the obviously and cleaning poop out as much as possible. Thanks for all the help!

Fly traps and sticky strips. Flies FLY. Really no stopping them, but traps help keep them to a minimum.

 

[Urbanchicken62]

I live in a valley in TN with 1000s of acres of cattle so maybe the flies are occupied with them. We get stink bug swarms, asian beetle lady bugs, june bugs, and boxelders, and the chickens won't eat any of them.