OMG THE FLIES!

[Gritsneggs]

I am having a serious problem with flies! The ground in the run is covered. My chickens free range several hours a day but this is insane. I did not have this issue last summer. Is there anything I can coat the ground with to deter them from the run.m, but still safe for the girls? Holy Moses, it’s bad.

 

[DobieLover]

I am having a serious problem with flies! The ground in the run is covered. My chickens free range several hours a day but this is insane. I did not have this issue last summer. Is there anything I can coat the ground with to deter them from the run.m, but still safe for the girls? Holy Moses, it’s bad.

Do you have any litter in your run or is it bare ground?

 

[FluffyButt789]

Following. They are bad here too. DE keeps them away a little bit but not good enough. Why don't the chickens just eat the flies? Ugh

 

[DobieLover]

The run can be sprayed with permethrin once a week or so to get things under control. It is safe around poultry. But controlling the moisture and manure load is what will really help reduce the fly numbers.
If you have wood chips, dry leaves, etc. in the run and rake it daily, that will help. If your run is covered and protected from run off that will help enormously for more issues than just flies.
You can also hang fly traps.

 

[PennyM]

My run is covered but this is the first year since we've had chickens that the flies are really bad. Can you spray the permethrin while the chickens are in the run?

 

[DobieLover]

My run is covered but this is the first year since we've had chickens that the flies are really bad. Can you spray the permethrin while the chickens are in the run?

Permethrin is used to treat chickens for mites. But I would just leave the birds in the coop in the morning, spray the run, mix the litter, spray again wait until everything dries then let the birds out. The coop litter can also be sprayed.
Then find a good fly trap and hang one or two AWAY from but near the coop/run to draw the flies away from the coop and run and to the traps.

 

[Hunter333]

New here, pretty new to chickening. Use an old shed for a coop. Have fenced in wooded area for birds to live on. In the coop, 10x10 shed, there are tons of some kind of flies. I have captured some and are awaiting their demise so I can add some pics
Hoping y'all have some clues

 

[therese13]

I am having a serious problem with flies! The ground in the run is covered. My chickens free range several hours a day but this is insane. I did not have this issue last summer. Is there anything I can coat the ground with to deter them from the run.m, but still safe for the girls? Holy Moses, it’s bad.

Buy fly predators. I think you can find them on Amazon.

 

[cmom]

I use permethrin concentrate, mix it with water in a sprayer and spray it where the flies are. It is used on cattle for flies and it works. I have way less flies now. If you have a TSC they carry the permethrin powder, premixed spray bottles and the concentrate.

 

[cmom]

New here, pretty new to chickening. Use an old shed for a coop. Have fenced in wooded area for birds to live on. In the coop, 10x10 shed, there are tons of some kind of flies. I have captured some and are awaiting their demise so I can add some pics
Hoping y'all have some clues