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

[ONSTAD1]

Can't the chickens eat the fly larve? Perhaps a bit high on the "QUEEZY scale" , but it seems like they would love them. The caveat is I have a total of zero adult hens at this point.

 

[Chickie-chan]

My brother gets the fly-swatter and after several flies getting hit they go away for a little while.

 

[Julie08]

I actually use a TON of the fly stripes like hang about 20 at a time until I get a handle on them then reduce as required. Works really good.

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Howdy!
I would suggest looking into getting guinea fowl. They are supposed to be wonderful insect- as well as snake- controllers. Our coops seem to be under control with our three guineas patrolling the area. Be warned, though; they can be quite loud. We had to sell our first guineas because they were too noisy. We decided to try again with guineas and now have a guinea cock & two guinea hens that are MUCH quieter. Hope this helps!

 

[ldutch123]

*with water. It has something to do with a flys vision and the the way it effects it. It has to be a new penny and it ONLY helps when the sun is shinning.

That sounds awesome. I will try this.

So many great suggestions and im trying them all! Except gettin a horse lmao! i'm pretty sure my husband would leave me

it is nearly impossible for me to keep their food area clean becaise everytime they eat they get food all over. Same with the chickens. Then the maggots live under the mats and I didnt know they were there. But they dribble water out too. First off under the mats i'm going to put DE and maybe it will keep them from breedin. Man I do hate flys

 

[ChickPrincess]

After buying fly attractant (liquid in tubes) that did NOT work, I took a suggestion from my FIL that has been working great and costs almost nothing.
Use an empty 1 gallon container. HI-C or Iced tea... the heavier plastic. Add a good sized handful of leftover RAW meat. I used some ground beef, but leftover fish guts from dh's last fishing trip is also working nicely. Add a cup or so of water and shake it up so it's sloshy. Now let it sit and rot for a day or two. Set it a little ways from your run. The flies go in the jug, but are too stupid to know to fly UP to get out.
Last week there were so many flies I swore there was a hornet's nest buzzing. It has dramatically cut down the population.

 

[Chickie-chan]

Awesome!

 

[Emmahannah]

Great idea about freezing water in bags. Do the chickens eat the plastic? I'm enjoying the 89 degree weather this week! Never thought the 104 would end and no rain for us for at least 3 weeks.

So glad you guys brought up using fly traps. We built a hen house this Spring and I've noticed the flies also. I'm using the deep litter method. I keep my feed in a galvanized trash can in their house and fill their feeder every other day. I'll be sure and check for maggots but I have not seen any that I know of yet.

 

[ChickenMansion]

Diotomacious Earth (DE), an all natural necessity!!! On the floor, in the shavings in the boxes, pan for dust bath. Read up on it, it is a must have for chicken owners, best pest control, wormer, antiparasite. I buy it for my chickens and my garden, at tractor supply, mypetchicken.com, or Co-op. It is a MUST! There usually is a warning it might irritate eyes and respritory, but have never had it happen. I put it down when my hens are out, and I use alot of it! Here are a couple of articles on it: http://www.squidoo.com/fossilflour#module28312712 http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

 

[kemoran]

DE, cuts back on the flies in my coop. Maggots won't bother the birds if they do not have open wounds and chickens think they are yummy. Is your feed getting wet?