The flies!! Help!!

[USAmma]

I live in the suburbs and it's starting to get warm here in the Phoenix area. I have had more flies than I knew existed in this area! Easily 150 today when I went outside. I think I am attracting all the flies for about 5 miles around. What can I do to control this so the neighbors don't complain?

I have hung two disposable fly traps-- the kind with the water that makes "fly soup." They are hanging about 10 feet from the coop and full of flies both live and dead. But there are still more around the quail coop. I change the deep litter out every other day. Not sure what else I can do, but something needs to be done to control this or I may get enough complaints that I have to get rid of the quails.

Help!

 

[theoldchick]

You can try putting your scent traps further away. Get fly tape and place it where the flies can get to it but not your birds.

Remember, the flies are attacted to the water, food, and feces-the odor attracts them. Keep the place as clean as possible. I have used undiluted Lavender scented Fabuloso with success. I pour it directly on the floor, allow it to dry, and allow the birds to come back in. Also works well in horse stalls. Keeps the place smelling lavender fresh.

 

[USAmma]

You can try putting your scent traps further away. Get fly tape and place it where the flies can get to it but not your birds.

Remember, the flies are attacted to the water, food, and feces-the odor attracts them. Keep the place as clean as possible. I have used undiluted Lavender scented Fabuloso with success. I pour it directly on the floor, allow it to dry, and allow the birds to come back in. Also works well in horse stalls. Keeps the place smelling lavender fresh.

Well I had a different scent of Fabuloso at home and just tried that on the floorboards and waiting for it to dry. If nothing else it smells like a whole garden of flowers outside. I will then put the usual newspaper over it and straw over that. I also thought maybe I can spray the ceiling of the coop with OFF! or something? And because it's going to get hotter, I have just set up a box fan to blow on them during the heat of the day. Maybe it will keep the flies away too?

 

[Sill]

Fly predators are the best control. You must start releasing them now, early in the season, for best control and re-release several times over the warmest months when flies are the most active. Arbico is fairly local so our predators don't have as far to go. Remember to release your predators where your chickens can't eat them!

The fan will help keep the flies away from the immediate area. Also like theoldchick says keeping things clean can only help. Not sure how safe Fabuloso is to poultry. Isn't it a fabric softener or soap?

 

[USAmma]

Fly predators are the best control. You must start releasing them now, early in the season, for best control and re-release several times over the warmest months when flies are the most active. Arbico is fairly local so our predators don't have as far to go. Remember to release your predators where your chickens can't eat them!

The fan will help keep the flies away from the immediate area. Also like theoldchick says keeping things clean can only help. Not sure how safe Fabuloso is to poultry. Isn't it a fabric softener or soap?

Hmm not sure where the flies are reproducing though, to release the predators. I can try it-- we go to Tempe on saturdays.

Fabuloso is a cleaning agent, I use it on my floors mostly. It's strong. I poured it on and then rinsed it off the floor boards and then let the fan dry it. The quail never have direct contact with the floorboards so it's probably okay. As I said if nothing else it smells nice now!

 

[dc3085]

THey like house plants flower beds that don't drain well, compost piles, and rotten fruit. Usually I find the source of flies/gnats to be in potted plants that have wet potting soil.

 

[USAmma]

Update-- I checked on them this afternoon and I found exactly ONE fly! And the quail seem to love their new fan. Many of them are sitting there facing it with their little eyes closed and looking very relaxed. I'm not sure which of the suggested solutions worked. I just tried them all. The fly traps are very busy today though.

Edited: Okay I went out again and found like 5 flies but still. Way better.

 

[dc3085]

They can be pretty maddening at times. Mine wont stick to fly paper and seem to have no source, fans keep them restricted but i've found nothing to kill them. My flies don't go near my quail but I'm sure are here because of them :\

 

[USAmma]

I finally got a handle on this fly problem. The coop smells better than ever and it only takes about 10 minutes of my time.

So I got rid of the deep litter for the summer (too darned hot right now). I have newspapers on the bottom of the cage. I have three nest boxes with sawdust that they mostly lay their eggs in and hang out when they feel like it. The cage is elevated on four bricks off the ground on a concrete slab. I also have a box fan blowing at them which serves to cool them off (they love it and gather near the fan), and it dries the droppings to prevent odor and moisture.

So every evening I do the following:

1) remove newspaper
2) use a dust pan and brush to remove any droppings not on the paper
3) replace newspaper
4) every few days replace sawdust
5) sweep up droppings on the concrete and dispose of them.
6) pour a bucket of water with some Fabuloso around and under the cage.

 

[theoldchick]