by Wendy EN Thomas of Lessons Learned from the Flock>
Last year we had flies in our chicken coop. And when I say we had flies, I mean we literally had thousands of flies. So many, in fact that our neighbors started to complain about them. And while, in fairness to us, many of those flies could have come from our surrounding woods, to be completely honest, I’m sure that our chicken coop was adding to the problem.
This was something new, in all our years of having chickens, flies had never been a problem. Oh sure, there’d be a few around the coop but nine times out of ten, the hens acted as our best bug repellant by simply catching and eating them.
But not last summer.
I started doing some asking around. It turned out that I was not the only one who was noticing these flies. Throughout New England, reports were coming in of abnormally large numbers of flies around coops that year.
I contacted the University of NH Cooperative Extension to see if they had anything to say about the situation and they didn’t. Apparently no one (other than I) had reported a fly problem.
I queried a few of my chicken friends and asked fly questions on some forums. In hind-site our (us chicken owners) guess was that the fly upsurge was caused by our abnormally warm winter in New England. (It’s also the reason blamed for the tick population going crazy last summer.) As near as we can put the pieces together, the winter weather never got cold enough to kill off the fly eggs, so when the warm weather came, we never had a chance.
To control the problem, at first we tried fly strips, those sticky tapes that you find in all horse barns, but we weren’t getting much success. We then tried, what amounted to nothing more than a fancier version of a fly strip. Still no go. We finally solved our problem by setting up industrial strength fly traps, like the one pictured. At the infestation’s worst, we had to empty those traps every 3 days. Just to give you an idea of the number of flies we were catching, my husband compared dumping out the trap to pouring out a can of baked beans. (Yeah, I know, yuck,)
Although this winter has been plenty cold, (trust me, she said, still wearing her polar fleece in the cool NH mornings) I’m not going to take any chances with flies this year.
Our first warm weather will bring a mucking out and cleaning of the coop, in fact we’ll probably be doing it this weekend. All of the current bedding that has been collecting winter waste will be moved to the compost area. Fresh chips will be laid down, the ground will be turned over, and our industrial fly traps will be up and ready starting on day one. This time, we’re not taking any chances.Update: the fly trap pictured in this post is the Starbar’s Captivator Fly Trap and while it worked very well, I’ll be looking into DIY recipes for fly traps this summer.
How about you? Any tips for controlling flies?
61 Comments
We put fresh cuttings of basil, oregano, thyme, etc. in the nests. Not only did the fly population disappear but the coop smells nice and the chicks love it. I also put it in the duck pool. Our coop has a concrete floor so keeping it clean is a snap. I just rake up once every couple of weeks and then hose it out. We live in East Texas on sugar sand so my girls get great dust baths too. Since it has been so hot this summer I wet down a spot under the pear trees for them to scratch a bowl and lie down in. Everyone seems quite content.
Where can I buy one? what is the name brand so I can Google it. thank you…
I use builder grade sand in my chicken coop. I have noticed a HUGE reduction in the amount of flies we have. The hay and wood shavings seem to trap the moisture and be a breeding ground for the flies. When we removed the hay and used sand, there was hardly any in the coop. We also have 160+ chickens……. Clean up of the coop is also tons faster and easier. We scoop the poop, like a liter box. Plus, no hay with the poop, so less flies too. Boy, has the smell decreased inside the coop too!! My girls seemed to love the switch. And it can double as a sand box for dust bathing too (if kept clean).
I will have to try the garlic in the water though. That’s a new one, and one that will help keep them off the scooped poop!! Hope this helps!!
Happy Chicken Farming! 🙂
I USED TO GET THE FLY TRAPS FROM FARM AND FLEET FOR OUR DOG KENNEL, NOW I HAVE CHICKENS WILL HAVE TO TRY THIS ONE, NEVER HEARD OF IT. ALSO. I THOUGHT OF GETTING Ffood grade diatomaceous earth, BUT I just read a few articles about how it reallty isn’t good for the birds. thanks for your articles
I use DE in my bedding and food. I also put a garlic clove in the chicken’s water. It’s a natural antibiotic killing internal parasites and the flies don’t like the garlic in the chicken poop. It actually cuts down on the odor too.
How much food grade DE should I use for my two hens that live in an enclosed area their coop is about 12’x12′ and their outdoor area/run is about 22’x16′. I am planning on adding a few more chickens in the spring. I do clean their entire area everyday and I have hung a vanilla scented Yankee Candle hangy thing up. Also what should I put on the floor of their coop…right now I have just been using straw?? Would it be ok to use some cedar chips on the floor?
Thank you all for the helpful posts of how to get rid of flies near my chicken coop! This is our first year with chickens (I have 6) and the flies have been horrible! We have hung fly sticky papers, awful smelling fly traps that fill up in 3 days, and I am going to try the pennies in baggies and the DE sprinkled in and around the coop.
DIY RECEIPE: Take a 2 liter bottle cover bottom of the inside of the bottle with chicken poop, add a little dish soap and then fill the bottle about half way full of water. Gently shake then tie a rope around the neck of the bottle and hang in your chicken yard. Warning do not put in your coop. Finally the flies go in get soap on there wings and can’t fly out. When full just replace the lid throw it away and make a new one.
Sounds like a good one!
Greetings! Very useful advice within this post! It’s the little changes that produce the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!
I have never heard of this product and would love to try it in our chicken coop/yard etc.
We’ve had chickens a few years now and have from the beginning used food grade diatomaceous earth when we clean the coop and yard (NO fly problems). We make a mixture of DE and sand for the chicks to take their bath in and they love it. When we clean the yard and coop, that all goes to the compost and will eventually end up in the garden … what a cycle. If we have an ant problem on our grounds, sprinkle diatomaceous earth and the problem is solved and it is safe for people and pets (don’t breathe it though). We buy it at our local co-op or Tractor Supply.
We started planting our garden last week and out of nowhere there were flies every where. They are resilient devils as we have had -12 temps this winter and still predictions for freezing nights this wk. We clean our coop daily and use DM. The 2 liter coke bottle method works well but fills quickly. I moved to NM from Tx and used the ziplock method there. NM flies seem to ignore it. I think the DM and coke bottles are the trick but I found that you should not put them near hummingbird feeders as the honey bees go for them too. We must encourage bats to live on our land hopefully saving them from an awful death in the caves. There is so much free info on line. Our major problem has been the cute little chipmonks. We have tried everything. My husband just took a huge nest out from behind my glove box…thank goodness they hadn’t chewed any wires. Any ideas on these devils. I have tried every natural way to deter them that I can find on line. I have resorted to shooting them but haven’t put a dent in their population. Found one of the trees they were living in and put a bull snake in there. How do you get rid of these varmints!
Do you have any tricks for keeping ticks and mosquitos away?
I have noticed a lot of flies in my one chicken run. One thing that does help is to keep things dry.
For me that means using Diatomaceous Earth food grade. I sprinkle this into the wood shaving when I clean the coop. First on the floor a bit and then into the shavings. I have also found that this keeps those nasty moths out of my scratch by mixing it in.
This year the run was rather wet so I cleaned it out and then raked the dry chips inside the coop into the run.
I can buy the 50# bag for $25.95 at the feed store. Yours may order it for you.
If you use the deep litter method using DE may alleviate the fly problem.
Rancher Hicks
That’s my system as well – deep litter and DE. Keeps the flies out of the coop, and in better control in the rest of the yard.
Was nobody feeding the flies to the chickens?
My chickens are too lazy to jump up for the flies- and the baggy with water does not work for Illinois flies!!
Great question. I fed my yellow jackets to the large goldfish in my pond. As long as it’s not poisoned with pesticide, there should be no reason NOT to feed the flies to the chickens.
We used the Zip Lock Bag (no pennies) at an outside party after a few flies started to buzz around. With in a few minutes they were gone and we had a fly free picnic! Amazing!!
Omitting the attractive source of flying insect infestation with composting.
We have two of these described units made from wire mesh with 3″ or less spaces between wire strands of the mesh. Using an section approximately 10 foot length by 4′ height, curl the lengthwise section into a circle of 3 1/2′ diameter and wire the ends to the overlap sides. Place in a convenient spot for access to place food waste and whatever compost source available. We have a generous amount of leaf material each year and by leaving a pile near the compost unit we use it to outer line and cover to control the odor and the insect attraction.
When adding compost to the center of the pile, leaf mulch is judiciously added to the outer edge and to cover the top. A automotive wheel or a grid is placed on top to keep the rodents at bay and still allow water to enter the pile. We have added more for several years and it just continues to settle and become a rich source of humus from the bottom of the pile for our plantings. The second unit augments when the first finally starts to overflow.
We did have a problem with tree roots entering from the bottom for this rich source of nutrients.
I’ve heard the baggies of water look like Hornet nest to flys and they stay away, dunno, I just might use some soured chicken feed for bait, THAT stinks BADDDDDDDDDDDD. so far i do not have many flys but i added three more chicks to the 3 i have so , who knows.
We had fly swarms a couple of weeks ago. Not by the coop, not by the compost, not by the neighbors’ horse barn, but around our house. They apparently had overwintered in our eaves? Thank goodness they didn’t appear inside, but I’d never seen anything like it. They dissipated over the next few days, but we’re getting the house sprayed this fall! Thanks for the fly trap recommendations. If warmer winters keep up, we’ll have plagues of some kind every year to deal with.
I too use the baggie method. I learn of it from a woman that ran an ice cream palor. I saw the baggie hanging on the walls of her shop and asked what they were for. She told me to keep the flys away. Well, I looked around her place and saw no flys. So, I hung a sandwich bag half full of water in my kitchen and I have no flys. That was 6 years ago. I have never heard about adding a penny to the water, but the baggies do work. I have no idea how, but I live in Florida and we have flys most of the year. But not in my kitchen or on my porch.
Granular fly bait works best for me. I put it in a small plastic container and place it high on a shelf so the chickens can’t get it. The flies ate so much of it last year that I had to refill the container every few days. Overall, I’d say we had about 90% fewer flies.
The problem with those stinky bait hanging bags is both the nasty smell and getting rid of the bag!
DE sprinkled over the droppings pit before the next layer of bedding seems to help keep the fly population down for us.
Okay, what is DE?
Diatomaceous Earth
At our place have both chikens and milk goats. I noticed the flies were constanly trying to get into the milk so I decided to give it a try in the jugs. Seems to work better than the commerical products and alot less expensive. To top it off the smell will wash off your hands eaiser and is not as nasty to deal with.
If you fill a small baggie half full with water, put a copper penny in it and hang it in the coop, it will keep flies away. Some people think the flies think it is a predator, and fly away. I plan to use the baggies when I cook out, hang them in the tree near the grill and picnic table. It works and you don’t have to use pesticides or clean out traps.
Does anyone know if this trick works with Black Flies/ Buffalo gnats?
I found these exact same traps at Tractor Supply here in Ohio. They come with the bait that you mix with 1 c water. I had the same issues here last summer. I have NEVER seen anything work as good as these traps. I just hung them from a nearby tree next to the coop. I had to empty them as well about every 3 days because they were full.
We use milk jug traps with commercial attractant. We have tried all sorta of things. This works best. No empting traps. Just recap the jug and throw away. Replace with new jug and no fuss.
It really bothers me to hear ANYONE say “throw away” about ANYTHING plastic. Are we not trying to be educated chicken keepers? What about educated Earth/human keepers???? All this focus on flies, but suggesting we through away something that will be around for about 100 years before it breaks down into pieces that last about another 300+ years. Permanent pollution is worse than biodegradable flies!
So, sustainable matters, these people buy milk in plastic jugs and reuse them and you are going to slam them for their reuse??? They could have just thrown it away. Shame on you for chewing them out.
I use plastic milk jugs to freeze unpasteurized (REAL) milk for those customers that need their milk frozen. It is a one use jug. Glass milk bottles break. Hopefully my customers will reuse some of them but if they are going thru 2-3 gals of milk a week, that’s 4 to 6 half gallon jugs…a lot to find uses for. I’m sure most end up in the dump. For those that want liquid milk, I use glass qt and half gal jugs.
Put a milk jug outside and see how long until it degrades into nothing. Answer: about 3 to 5 years. Not such a big deal. Besides, keeping chickens doesn’t make you suddenly “green”. I’ve had chickens all my life and have no problem getting my brush fires going with motor oil or spray paint (the current can happens to be green paint, so it’s green I guess). Hang a dead chicken on a tree or in a lean-to and box it and burn it when it’s black with flies. Fly problem solved.
The key to lesser or no flies is keeping the coop clean ,daily cleaning with a litte DE we have no flies in the coop. We have a large chicken pen and also needs to be cleaned of chicken poop daily keeps flies at the lesser in the pen WE do hang an fly trap about 10 feet away from the chicken pen
We had a horrible fly and moth problem last year. We bought some Muscovey ducks and hope that helps this year. Some research says 4 ducks per cow completely eradicates fly problems. Of course ducks are messy but I’d rather deal with the mess than with flies.
I agree with the thought that it hasn’t been cold enough to kill the fly eggs. It’s been a warmer couple of years so we are dreading this summer for flies.
I’ve been farming geese, chickens, ducks (muscovies and mallard breeds), turkeys, etc. for 40 years, and never have a fly problem. Ducks are one of the best fly removers as they sift through all of the poop and soil looking for larvae, adults, and grubs and earthworms. In fact my ducks have eradicated the june beetles that used to be common in the summer. Additionally, I also DO NOT KILL WASPS OR HORNETS or remove their nests (unless they are in a very busy location. Wasps and hornets feed on stable flies, deer flies, and other insects in the garden; they are very beneficial. If you want to see just how many wasps and hornets you have in the area put a little honey in a flat dish outside on a platform and watch what arrives.
Has anyone tried ACV as a draw rather than meat?
Sorry, what is ACV? I’m a newbee..
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
You can make an inexpensive fly catcher similar to the one shown by cutting the top 1/4 of a 2 liter plastic bottle off and inverting it into the bottom half. Put two small holes on opposites sides through both pieces of plastic to add a hanger of string or wire. Put some meat, about 2 tablespoons is enough, through the funnel hole and about 2/3 cup of water. Hang it up and watch it work. I used these camping all the time. When you’re done with it, just throw it away and make another one.
MICK
diatomaceous earth make sure it is the food grade sold at TSC
used for a lot things I use it in my rabbit barn and also have a tablespoon in cold water every morning
Vanilla tree air freshners work for my coop,not the cheap ones.And it has to be vanilla
Take a small cup or bowl and put a few pennies in it and fill with water. It is an old Amish trick. I have seen it used at an outdoor reunion on the tables, and no flies bothered a single thing. It just kept the flies away from the area. I keep one in my garage now.
This really works! I use a ziplock bag half filled with water and a couple pennies. You can hang it anywhere!
Fly predators work well. Spalding lab has them. Fly Predators kill flies before they emerge. You simply sprinkle them near all manure areas every three to four weeks during warm months. It just takes a few minutes and you have your fly control for the month. I live in central Arizona and it never gets cold enough to kill off the flys. The fly predators work for both my chickens and horses. The link to Spalding Lab is:
https://www.spalding-labs.com/products/fly-control/for-other-animals/default.aspx
April Reynolds
Waddell, AZ
We just started using these. Really hoping they work. Last summer was horrible.
I’ve been using the fly predators for 5 years and they are great! I have horses and chickens, and admittedly the chickens do a certain amount of work keeping down the flies in the horse manure, but, still…it’s very manageable.
I use food grade DE and sprinkle it in their nests, their coop bedding and even a little on the roosts. I’ve never seen more than a couple flies buzzing around.
I use diatamacous earth in the chicken feed and the dog feed. I have very little flies and our whole neighborhood has horses, mules, goats, poultry, and birds – even a lama.
I use those decorative glass traps (mainly intended for wasps etc) that you put a few inches of sweet juice in and it attracts the bugs (especially as it ferments). They don’t smell and I found that on my deck (where it was placed) I caught more flies than I did wasps. We have never had a big fly problem in and around the house in Western NY State. I had more flies when I was raising sheep than chickens. Wonder if these would work, even if you made your own out of milk cartons or jugs with holes punched in the sides (top left on) and put a big of juice in the bottom? Would certainly smell better than the stinky kind – I’ve had those before and they are disgusting.
Living on a small city lot we cannot use those types of traps. It just collects and attracts every fly in the neighborhood. Since I live in CA where it is warm all year we have to be vigilant. Here is what works for us. Everyday I pick up all poop from coop and run. Just use a kitty litter scoop or rake. I pick up all dog poop as soon as I see it. And keeping the yard dry!! That has been the key. I have changed the plants in my backyard to low water requirements. I hang strips and change frequently and hang the vanilla scented car fresheners. The difference is amazing. It seems like a lot but it is so worth it. I was about to get rid of my chickens before I implemented this system. Also, I do not compost come spring thru fall. I start again once we cool off in fall. I noticed the compost pile was breeding my own flies. I just put all coop waste in our green city barrel and they make wonderful compost for others without the benefit of chicken poo.
We have lived in Central TX for 6 years, and this year so far, the flies have been awful. Even in the winter. I have never seen them this bad and will be looking for a solution for our coop before the flies take over.
We didn’t make ours, we ended up using the Starbar’s Captivator Fly Trap that we had purchased from TSC. I’m going to try Anon’s suggestion and make our own recipe this year.
Anon, Thanks for these suggestions. Although the fly traps that we used were not terribly expensive, I’m always looking for DIY ways to fix problems.
Wendy
Great artical but where are the ingredients of the trap you where successful with?
You buy them, bait them with hamburger or liver that after a few days of fermenting sends out a stink flies can not resist. The main thing is you never put these fly traps near buildings unless you want to put out the call for all the local flies to come over. They need to be put a minimum of 25 feet away from any building and more if you care about the stink they make. Years ago the brand I bought was called Big Stinky for a reason.
How did you make your fly trap?