USING DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FOR FLIES IN DUCK COOP

[Swiegand]

Been battling flies in the ducks coop & space. Tried just about everything. Today I decided to use diatomaceous earth in hopes that it will resolve the fly problem. After stirring the straw bedding, I sprinkled that shit everywhere! I'm wondering how quickly I should see results? How often should I use it? Any advice helps.

I plan to sprinkle it generously directly on the ground and on top of the bedding next time I do a deep cleaning of the coop which will be next week.

 

[Painted Calls]

I honestly don't see flies rolling in it. DE doesn't really do anything for bugs that can't fly and get away from it. I don't see it doing anything at all for flies.

 

[Swiegand]

If flies are breeding in the coop bedding, I think that cleaning more often may be higher on the list of necessary things.

BSFs could definitely make a home for maggots in the coop though. I initially always think of face flies as I live on a cattle farm and that's what I deal with.

Yeah DE hasn't really seemed to make a difference. I just ordered fly predators so we'll see.

 

[addctd2plnts]

Flies need to be attacked in multiple ways or they breed so quickly you can never ge ahead of them. If you have the coop near a stream or pond, you are fighting an uphill battle because they breed in moist soil. I boarded my horses one year with a lady that had a stream 10 ft from her barn, OMG flies were a nightmare! Spraying on a regular basis with something Like Tempo SC Ultra ( https://www.domyown.com/tempo-sc-ultra-p-215.html?msclkid=cca79635db701e094a0af4916a7b9822 ) knocks down the adults in the coop. We use Rescue Fly Traps ( https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...0001&msclkid=a7581d6b303a1b5815337fcf80d5b990 )AWAY from the barn/coop, on the far periphery of the property. They catch an amazing amount of flies but you need to hang them LOW, about 2 ft off the ground. Most people hang them too high, and they are not as effective then. And in between sprays, we don't slack off killing them. We use Quick Strike Fly Abatement Strips ( https://www.jefferspet.com/quik-str...0304&msclkid=cb1429b4e36f191e4c804b1053d8eba1 ) in a disposable paint roller tray (to catch the dead flies exposed to the strip. See:

). We put it into the coop while ducks are outside and remove it at night when they come back in. It easily kills 98% of the flies in the coop each day! Of coarse, keeping the coop/pen clean and dry is imperative. If you choose at least 3 ways to attack them, and keep up with constantly fighting them, and a regular spraying program, you can keep flies down to a few. It's really important because flies carry terrible diseases and cause a lot of stress on the animals. I know just 2 hours a day mucking stalls and being bitten on bare legs dries me insane! I can't imagine being an animal and enduring it constantly At least we can spray the horses, put fly masks on them, and use a spot on fly repellent.

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

@Overo Mare

 

[Painted Calls]

If the flies are breeding in the coop bedding, then DE will kill the maggots and reduce the number of adult flies indirectly

If flies are breeding in the coop bedding, I think that cleaning more often may be higher on the list of necessary things.

BSFs could definitely make a home for maggots in the coop though. I initially always think of face flies as I live on a cattle farm and that's what I deal with.

 

[ruthhope]

If flies are breeding in the coop bedding, I think that cleaning more often may be higher on the list of necessary things.

BSFs could definitely make a home for maggots in the coop though. I initially always think of face flies as I live on a cattle farm and that's what I deal with.

I've seen grubs in deep litter -- not as slim and wriggly as BSF maggots that I welcome in my composter. They actually reminded me of wax moth grubs that I get periodically in my bee hives. My ducks love having the wax moth grubs and puppae to eat, and so I assumed the ducks will eat grubs in their litter.

I have also seen green flies in my son's coop that wasn't unhygienic and didn't smell. The flies seemed to be attracted to the damp around the feeding bowl and I put down a layer of pine shavings over the damp and the flies dispersed. But I wonder if the green flies are related to the grubs in the litter

 

[Painted Calls]

Yeah DE hasn't really seemed to make a difference. I just ordered fly predators so we'll see.

I've heard really good things about those!

 

[ruthhope]

I honestly don't see flies rolling in it. DE doesn't really do anything for bugs that can't fly and get away from it. I don't see it doing anything at all for flies.

If the flies are breeding in the coop bedding, then DE will kill the maggots and reduce the number of adult flies indirectly

 

[addctd2plnts]

Yeah DE hasn't really seemed to make a difference. I just ordered fly predators so we'll see.

Fly predators take a good while to make a difference. I've used them and think honestly that they take several years to truly impact the flies. The cost was insane for a farm. A bottle of Tempo SC Ultra is around $41 and lasts me all summer! It's safe for ducks/chickens, although I wouldn't spray it on wet bedding. I always clean out all the bedding, remove food and water and spray in the morning when the ducks are outside for the day. Spray every surface, inside and outside the coop. It knocks the flies down for 10 days to 2 weeks.