what do you do for fly control and mosqitoes

[Mskayladog]

I posted this same question a couple days ago and went and got the stinky fly traps. At first I did. It think they were working. But they are working yea!!! The run is almost fly free and the big stinky is getting full.
I'm going to try refilling with the dog food and 2 poo's
I also hung sticky traps outside the run up high on the hutch.

 

[locke2121]

You can also try all natural repellents. Things with strong herbal scents like mint, basil, eucalyptus oil has been known to repel flys. Just hang it around the pop door and see what happens.

 

[phelpcd1]

I am going to need about 20 fly traps...........I basically bred my own **** flies this week! Ugghhhhh................went to put out the last of the trash and set the can out for pick up today. Lifted the lid this am and about hurled all over the place.............lovely little fly larvae crawling all up on the can trying to get out. There was even a pile of them, along with ants, underneath the can. Guess the flies busted into the bag where I wrapped up the old turkey carcass I cooked last week. Disgusting!!!!! Didn't mean to share such a gross story, but I've never had this issue before and I've tossed out quite a bit of "carcasses" from cooking etc. Now that I've got chickens, I either need to move the can or setup a fly trap by the can..............sigh. The flies are insane! They don't both me so much but that was NOT a pleasant experience!!!

 

[TXchickmum]

That is an excellent suggestion!! -have a pot of peppermint and a pot of sweet basil near the largest coop, and that does seem to be a very good deterrent!

 

[lorain's fids]

Your thinking that the fly traps are attracting flies is correct. They (flies) can smell them a long time before you can. However, they are highly effective. I have them inside the barn, but not where my fly predator larvae are spread each month..(.they have to be "cultivated" too). Moist ground, etc., and I have to put them in a place that the chickens can't get to...chickens will eat them! I have been very satisfied w/ the fly predators/ trap combination. With all the animals I have, I have to attack the fly problem on several different fronts. I keep Golden Marin Fly bait in the milk house, simply because it's cleaner, and I can keep it up high, so when I hose the milk house down morning and evening after milking the goats, I don't wash it away, I don't have to smell the traps, get sticky tape in my hair, and I don't have to swat at the predators! It is a constant battle, but the "three pronged" attack seems to keep the flies to a minimum.

I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I also encourage bats w/ bat houses (waaaay high on telephone/utility poles) and I have several martin houses that are all occupied as well, which helps keep down the mosquitos.

Bats are great for mosquitos--I do see them, flying around here. We did place a bat house high in our trees hoping that the bats would make a home out of it, but years later alls that was in it was cocoons of some sort.( I don't think where I live you are allowed to use the phone pole for a bat house)

 

[lorain's fids]

I am going to need about 20 fly traps...........I basically bred my own **** flies this week! Ugghhhhh................went to put out the last of the trash and set the can out for pick up today. Lifted the lid this am and about hurled all over the place.............lovely little fly larvae crawling all up on the can trying to get out. There was even a pile of them, along with ants, underneath the can. Guess the flies busted into the bag where I wrapped up the old turkey carcass I cooked last week. Disgusting!!!!! Didn't mean to share such a gross story, but I've never had this issue before and I've tossed out quite a bit of "carcasses" from cooking etc. Now that I've got chickens, I either need to move the can or setup a fly trap by the can..............sigh. The flies are insane! They don't both me so much but that was NOT a pleasant experience!!!

LOL!!! last week when I went to put the garbage can out it was covered in fly larve-(poor garbage man)-it's a good thing our town has the automated garbage can lifter-wouldn't want to have to lift and dump that by hand. LOL!!!

 

[flewdacoop]

my trash was full of larva last week too must be the time of the year

 

[therapydoglady]

Our electric company required we put in our own poles in the middle of our "operation". We have to make an "appointment" with their technicians when a guard light burns out or we have an electrical problem. Since we paid a couple hundred dollars per pole (and we had to have 4) I absolutely defy them to tell me I can't have a bat house on it! It isn't so high that it interferes with service, but it is high enough that the cats can't climb the pole and harrass the bats. We have a fairly large population for this area. The "bat people" that come occasionally to count found over 100 in one box and the high 70's in the other 3. They were pleased...we are pleased. Our particular species are Mexican Free-tail bats.

The martin houses, though full of purple martins, who looooooove mosquitoes, are not my favorite. I clean them out every fall and burn the nests which are working alive with lice and mites. Eeeeeew! Makes me itch just thinkin' about it. I keep my chicken flock inspected (I pick one up and look almost every day),but still...

 

[therapydoglady]

Lorain's Fids:

Forgot to mention...move your bathouse to the side of your barn, house or someplace out in the open - like a utility pole. Bat's won't normally roost in trees because their wings get torn on the branches. My bat houses are 12X12X8". Not very big. made out of 12" rough cut 1X stuff reclaimed from and old barn. The wood has to be rough so they can hold on w/ their little claws. Very easy to make, unobtrusive to any "decor" and hugely beneficial!