Need to get rid of FLYS!!! they are constantly on the chickens and ducks food. Any ideas?

[questions543]

I live on the gulf coast with high heat and humidity. Preventing flies and animal odor is vitally important to me since I live in a suburban neighborhood with an HOA not friendly to the idea of chickens reducing property values and neighbors with zero tolerance for flies and odors.

I have chickens in the coop/run and the backyard and 3 large dogs who poop in the yard and I have no smell, no ammonia problem in the coop/run and almost no flies. Probably fewer flies than last year when I had no chickens. I use the deep litter method and clean the coop about once every 6-8 weeks. I spray an enzyme mixture every week and it changes organic odors, including the ammonia, to something else and does not allow the fly maggots to live. It is also completely non-toxic to fish (a concern on Florida's coast and waterways) or other animals and birds. No smell and no flies or maggots. The product is Abate-XP and is available from Agri-tec. I found it on one of the chicken sites online- I thought it was on BYC but can't find it again. You can google it.

I started using this in early spring and was hoping it would work when the heat and humidity rose. It does. I also use it on any organic odor from carpets with dog dander, garbage bins, closets and stinky shoes. I do not work for the company nor am I a sales person or representative, I just love this product and would never be without it again.
Kate

wow thanks. Ive tried anythting including DE and nothing helps I guess because its too humid. This look good though. The only problem is do you think that they'd ship to canada?

 

[rarebear]

This is not a bag but a jar. It is amazing. I have NO flies around my coop or free range area and have 14 chickens.

 

[rarebear]

Is this a safe and organic chemical? I worry about the residue on my chickens and dogs feet.

 

[goosehead]

wont the vanilla trees be bad for the birds? Also does anyone know if a yellowjacket nest would work?

Good question. I'm not shore but I want to try it.


BTW great thread everyone

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

I don't know if anybody mentioned this yet, but Bay tree leaves work for me.

I'm not trying to sound all "herby" but since I couldn't find any fly traps floating around the house, I went outside and thought that the strong smelling Bay would work.

I put bay in the chicken coop and the flies left but the gnats stayed in. I heard somewhere that Bay also prevents fleas from breeding. I just like the smell...

 

[BudgieBoy]

wont the vanilla trees be bad for the birds? Also does anyone know if a yellowjacket nest would work?

Someone posted a link to the MSDS on hanging scented trees made by a company called "Little Trees." According to that, they are scented with a proprietary agent but overall are considered non-hazardous. Typical warnings are given (wash skin/eyes if irritated) but no unusual warnings for disposal and safe handling. In other words, they are more or less harmless to humans.

I emphasise the last point, because chickens and other animals can have unusual respiratory systems which are not covered in the MSDS. I remember reading several years ago on a forum where someone had several budgies die suddenly during a routine trip in the car. I can't remember the details, but they blamed it on a pine-scented air freshener tree (there was more the story; it made sense at the time!) Since then I've been afraid to allow anything pine scented into my house. I have pet budgies and cockatiels in addition to my chickens, so I'm always worried about poisoning them somehow. The vanilla scent is probably a different chemical from the pine, chickens might be considered hardier than budgies, and we are talking about outdoor coops, so chances are there isn't any risk of the chickens being harmed. Still I'd want to be sure personally.

 

[LazoRanchPeeps]

FLies are attracted to poop. I clean my coop everyday!!! Each morning when i clean my horse stalls I clean the poo from chickens each day/. I am sure to pick up any poo i see around the barn to.
THE MORE YOU CLEAN OUT THE POOP THE LESS FLIES YOU HAVE

THe fly traps work, but the bring in flies using attractants and once the flies drown in the water it REALLY STINKS BAD/ I used them AWHILE AGO ABOVE MY HORSE STALLS AND AFTER 2 WEEKS IT SPELT LIKE A DEAD BODY ROTTING. DO NOT USE THEM

 

[PressOn]

Get a Muscovy. They eat flies, and they are very good at it from what I hear.

Another option is you can make a maggot box, bad milk or meat mixed in with compostable material. Leave it open long enough for many flies to lay their eggs. Close it off long enough for them to hatch and feel on the compost then feed them to the birds before they can fly away. If I had a pasture I would try a maggot box, but as it is I would not be able to avoid the smell during the egg laying stage.

Unless your birds have open wounds the maggots will leave them alone.

 

[ButchGood]

I think the myth buster's problems was they used a 'bag of pennies' instead of a single penny....

Ive used a single penny, multiple pennies, single bags, multiple bags, no pennies just water. Flies Everywhere Still.

 

[AmyLM]

I tried this and it didnt work at all

really? What are you using in it as a lure? Mine is so full of flies / bees / wasps that I had to put new ones out yesterday. Also works on fruit flies in the house (I used little water bottles).