Official BYC Poll: How Do You Keep Flies Out Of Your Coop?

[BYC Project Manager]

With the warmer weather, flies are an expected annoyance since they thrive and breed in warm, moist, and foul-smelling environments. But the biggest problem with flies around your chickens is flystrike. This condition occurs when flies lay eggs on chickens, most often around their vents, and resulting maggots live in and feed on the tissue, which results in an infection and if untreated, death of the affected bird.

So: How Do You Keep Flies Out Of Your Coop?

Please place your vote above, and please elaborate in a reply below if you chose "Other".

Further Reading:

• Harmful Bugs & Pests To Your Chooks and How To Prevent Them
• Thoughts On General Coop Hygiene
• A Checklist To Avoiding Casualties In The Flock

Here Are Some Interesting Discussions Around The Topic As Well:

• Best House Fly Attractant For Catching And Trapping Flies
• Flies In The Run And Coop
• Topic Of The Week: Flystrike

(Check out more exciting Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[Folly's place]

The fly predators from Spalding are very helpful!
Also dusting the nest boxes and floor under the bedding with permethrin helps. And things need to be dry, not wet, as much as possible.
Actually the chickens do eat fly larva, and help keep fly numbers down in the barn.
Mary

 

[neo71665]

Good ventilation with deep liter method and never had a fly issue.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Cleaning up the coop twice a month, cleaning up treat leftovers, and keeping water out of the coop. We also allow a few spiders to live in the coop.
I tend to see a lot of flies in their webs. We also destroy any spider egg sacs to prevent more than we allow.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I plant basil, lavender, and rosemary in pots that are around my coop/run.

 

[Mutchi]

Flys don't come in my coop, that's why I chosen other.

 

[Brooks_]

*Other. I don't really do any of that. Deep bedding? Just the random flies that would be normal outside of the coop. Maybe they just eat them?

 

[Chicken Unboxing]

I've only got two chickens. That might explain...

 

[Brooks_]

I've only got two chickens. That might explain...

Two as in literal, or chicken math two?

 

[Kiki]

The only time flies come around is when my coop gets a little wet from sideways rain.
When that happens
I spray..

Two on the right: