Worms and flies in the coop

[cowprint22]

Hello

Last week when I cleaned out my coop there were quite a few tiny black flies in there. I didn't think much of it, just thought I'd keep an eye on it. Today when I cleaned out again there were larger, shiny blue/green flies. I also noticed a couple of small thin white worms/maggots in some poop.

What are these? What is causing them? What should I do about it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dawg53]

They are maggots from the green flies. Remove the poop and you remove the maggots which will eventually pupate into green flies starting their lifecycle all over again.

 

[cowprint22]

Thank you. How do I get rid of the green flies to stop them laying any more eggs? How do I prevent them in the future?

 

[dawg53]

Thank you. How do I get rid of the green flies to stop them laying any more eggs? How do I prevent them in the future?

Screen the vents on your coop. Screen the entrance, cut strips vertically so that chickens can pass freely in and out of the coop. Put sand in the pen/run. Hang fly strips in the pen/run high enough so that chickens wont get tangled in them.