Stupid flies

[bigcats]

I've had my 2 chickens 2 weeks. And I have flies up the wazoo. I'm concerned because I'm quite close to neighbors and while chickens are perfectly legal, I don't want to create a nuisance or bad feelings about my girls.

I live in the high desert and never see flies anywhere else around here, even down at the end of the block where there's a farm with pigs, sheep, turkeys, and chickens.

My coop is dry, clean, and odorless. I've read in other threads that humidity and less-than-clean conditions contribute to the problem, but there's no way to be drier or cleaner than what I've got!

A couple of months ago I gathered horse manure from a nearby stable and put it in my garden. That's probably how this all got started? I have a compost pile which I have recently adapted to be covered and fly-proof. I have a dog who does a poop or two a day in the yard, and I clean it up pretty promptly. I'm now doing a daily (or more) check. I have a litterbox in a cat enclosure outside too. It is covered and scooped regularly.

I tried sticky tape around the coop area and I've caught about 6 flies (and a ladybug!

), with hundreds others buzzing around the backyard and zeroing in every time a single poop comes out of a chicken.

I'm going to pick up one of those stinky traps when I get out of town tomorrow, but of course I'm worried that this could be just as bothersome to neighbors.

I read about DE - does it really work on the ground, and wouldn't it kill earthworms and things like that which I need for my garden too?

When the summer is over and it gets cold, do the fly eggs die? Or do they hang around and burst out again next spring? I'm wondering if I was more careful with my manure (fully composted it first this time), maybe I could start over again next year and NOT have this problem?

Hrmf.

 

[CarriBrown]

Could have been the horse manure, yes. Flies will lay eggs in the horse hair and horses chew their hide to itch, ingesting the eggs. What's always worked for me is the fly traps that trap them in a container.

Something like that is a couple of bucks and you can hang several of them around the area. When they fill up, you cut them down and throw them out. There are others that have a hard plastic container but they are more money. These traps with the bags are pretty cheap.

 

[Judy]

You can make homemade ones out of 2 liter soda bottles too. Google homemade fly trap.

 

[bigcats]

That's the kind of thing I'm going to get when I get out to civilization tomorrow. How have you found that brand as far as the odor?

And do you know if, if all else fails, I'll have a new chance next year if I avoid fresh manure? Or have I permanently created a breeding ground and the eggs will survive the snow and freeze and come back again next year... ?

 

[cmom]

It's that time a year here too for the flies to multiply.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I'm already noticing more flies and our temps are only in the 50s-60s.

things!!!

 

[Teresaann24]

I use mothballs to get rid of the flies Works wonders for me!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Quote:
Aren't they toxic?

 

[cassie]

You might get some fly predators. They won't do anything about the adult flies, but they will eat the pupa and prevent hatching. When properly used they will really keep the fly population down to manageable levels.

 

[Mahonri]

I've got the bottle with the mix, I've got tape. They are driving my wife nuts.

I've got to figure out a way to control them. The 4 tapes I hung are just full of flies, but it's still not enough.