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

[Chicken Unboxing]

Two as in literal, or chicken math two?

Literal two. I might say one since they're bantams, but the force of chicken math is undeniable...

 

[papajoesfarm]

We developed a multi-pronged approach. Fly problems occur here when rainy season starts in June. I rake out runs every week, bag what I rake, and use it for fertilizer. It's weak enough to side dress on mature plants, and any excess goes into the compost piles. The coops have deep litter. I use agricultural lime in the runs, all of which have steel paneled roofs to keep most of the rain out. And put up fly bags if we start to have an infestation. The girls are accomplished fly catchers, and do a terrific mop-up job on any fly that happens to wander in.

I will say that it's a challenge when we have any tropical systems. Some seasons are worse than others, and even a weak hurricane passing by will drench everything. One thing I have learned is to avoid using any kind of hay, or chips, in the runs, due to our soil composition. That's how they made bricks back in the old days. The ground will get rock hard, absorb nothing, and turn into fly-heaven.

 

[cmom]

If any of the Floridians or anyone is in the area around Ocala, we have a farm swap the 2nd & 4th Saturdays monthly at the Dunnellon Tractor Supply. If you're in the area during one of our swaps stop in and say Hi.

 

[afieldssnowyegger]

I’ve never had fly problems
To be fair, my chickens eat anything that moves pretty quickly though

 

[Sablehaven]

I have horses, so chickens are actually one of my fly predators. The other is black soldier flies, which I introduced 3 years ago and they only emerged this year, but they showed up in mass for 3 days and I have never had this few flies around.

I feed my horses apple cider vinegar as well (1/4 cup a day in their grain), and I'd like to do that for the chickens too.

 

[Goosebaby]

I keep them out by willpower alone

No I just try to keep it clean as possible, though that doesn’t keep all the flies away. Flies are an annoying part of life in the summer with or without birds, I’d swear there were just as many flies here before I had birds.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

No flies in the coop, but quite a few in the run when its muddy. I put down hay and grass cuttings and occasionally rake it out.

Has anyone ever tried the reusuable fly traps? And then feed the flies to the chickens?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MKLGMQR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_E3RNK251S9SBY48D7QJD

 

[Cauliflowaah]

I don't notice much for flies around my coop or run. I use hay on the coop floor plus I throw lavender and chamomile flowers in there, the girls eat them and I feel like it smells better and relaxes them at night. I doubt those do much for flies but I haven't had to battle any fly situation yet - I live in the gulf of Texas...so Mosquitos are another story. I have lemon balm, peppermint and rosemary plus a citronella plant around the coop for that.

 

[Ascholten]

The only time I have had fly problems is when I kept them caged up for 3 or 4 days in a row and they squirt in the outside part and it gets icky. Otherwise I have a tractor and I move it around regularly so the flies are not really an issue. I find that 5 to 6 days is about the max for one area, once they got the grass scratched down and it's pretty much dirt in there, its time to move it.

aaron

 

[Chickassan]

Anoles, there are tons of anoles and skinks that share space in and around the coop.
Tree frogs and toads help some but not nearly as much as the lizards.
Chickens don't eat many, they get a tail occasionally but they're a little too fast.