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

[Ascholten]

ive seen those fly traps before. basically the bait is rotten . bone meal i think for them and beer works really well for the yellow jacket traps. that way you can just refill them w/o having to spend big bucks for their 'bait'

Aaron

 

[Manhen]

I keep the coop well ventilated, and populated with a lot of hens. There are no or vv few flies in the coop, lanai, or courtyard, or penitentiary, the alpha quadrant, or 3 pen/pastures.

 

[khind]

I turn and add to deep litter regularly and keep it ventilated. I had a fly issue once last summer and at the beginning of spring this year. I don't know why, but we did have persistent and heavy rains both times. My "other" is that I hung one car air freshener both times and that took care of it.

 

[HenHouse Henry]

Clean up the leftover treats, I planted Mint, Lemon Balm, and Oregano around my pen, and I use the deep litter method. there will always be some flies, my chickens chase them around, I hang Rosemary around the coop and nest boxes, also lavender. my neighbor has a huge rose garden, I throw the petals around the coop and boxes. Lemon Balm and mints repel mice too! Good ventilation is a must.

 

[MTR]

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?

Feel free to place your vote and please elaborate in the comment section if you choose "Other".

View attachment 2691272

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!)

DE on all flat surfaces that chickens don’t stand on helps

 

[Ascholten]

I have a bunch of mint growing around, it takes over like a weed if you let it.
I might plant some around the coop area, get a nice mint grove going, no flies and mint tea. a win win.

Aaron

 

[M-H-Fielding]

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?

Feel free to place your vote and please elaborate in the comment section if you choose "Other".

View attachment 2691272

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!)

My chickens are actually fond of eating the flies, so I don't really need to take care of that problem. I do keep the food and water outside, however, to try and eliminate the number of flies hanging around my rabbits.

 

[Ascholten]

id have to say it depends on how hungry they are? Once in a while when one of mine dropss a really juicy stanley steamer, the flies will come in, but the chickens mostly ignore them. Im sure theyd eat them if it was there, but flies do ... fly away, so maybe it's more of an opportunistic meal? I wish mine would chase flies but they don't really. Perhaps I should starve them for a week and see if they start?

Aaron

 

[Chuckie chicken]

id have to say it depends on how hungry they are? Once in a while when one of mine dropss a really juicy stanley steamer, the flies will come in, but the chickens mostly ignore them. Im sure theyd eat them if it was there, but flies do ... fly away, so maybe it's more of an opportunistic meal? I wish mine would chase flies but they don't really. Perhaps I should starve them for a week and see if they start?

Aaron

Of all the primo kitchen scraps I've tried to feed my chickens, ... they basically turn their beaks up. However, the other day I was out with them and a deer fly landed on one's back. It was there for all of about ⅒ of a second before another girl snatched it off her back! It was one of my proudest moments. Me and deer flies don't get along at all.

 

[Ascholten]

Wow that was a lucky snatch indeed. Generally when the chickens Do go after a fly, its like if you did and the fly... flies away, the chicken is not fast enough to catch them. Im thinking of putting the bug lamp back up and on for them, but then I got one who will literally stay up most the night watching the lamp, when it zaps stuff, the semi cooked bug falls and she eats it..... all night long.. ugh.