Soggy run

[Henergy]

Gorgeous sunny day today - but its brought out the flies !

 

I know its not just my coop they are attracted to, as they are all sat on the fence of my garden & sills of my conservatory. But they look horrid & I don't want the neighbours to see the flies & assume its the chickens fault. Any suggestions ?

 

Also, just watched one of my hens attack a wasp - won't they get stung? She kept flicking her head for a little while but has stopped now.

[teacake]

not sunny here, it's grey and drizzly.....

[bouldercroft]

I saw Korma eat a wasp last week - I panic'd for a moment and then decided to be rational and see what happened..and nothing happened

[Millie-Annie]

Red top fly traps are what you want. I had three up last year, smell to high heaven if you get near, but work brilliantly. I shall re order for this year, thanks for reminding me

[Plumfychuck]

is the smell from the red top fly catchers really unpleasant? how far away from chickens do you put it? I had no idea that flies would be a problem with chickens I just didn't think about it and I haven't noticed any at all yet.

[daxigirl]

It may not be anything to do with the chooks, it may be cluster flies. They used to gather on the window sill.

 

I had them in the window frames (2 houses ago) they were horrible, I couldn't understand where they came from. It was a couple of years later when an exterminator company told me about them whilst doing some other work at a different property.

[Millie-Annie]

Yes the smell is horrendous, like rotting meat. You probably wouldn't want to have to walk passed to often, but I would say about 10 foot away is fine

[Old Speckled Hen]

It may not be anything to do with the chooks, it may be cluster flies. They used to gather on the window sill.

 

I had them in the window frames (2 houses ago) they were horrible, I couldn't understand where they came from. It was a couple of years later when an exterminator company told me about them whilst doing some other work at a different property.

 

So what was the answer...How do you get rid?

 

We have thousands here, they prefer the conservatory and the loft.

I hoover them up twice a day, they make a satisfying rattle as they go up the hoover tube. The dyson cyclones them about to death

[muzzboy]

I have only had my chickens 2 weeks and can tell you its not them as i have had problems with cluster flies since i moved to my house 4 years ago i had rentokil out as this time of year they are awaking from the winter months and you will see them around october looking for somewhere dark and warm to see out the winter ie my loft not much you can do about them outside but in my loft they left off a big smoke bomb and it does help.

[daxigirl]

I sprayed fly killer into the window frame several times over a few weeks and killed them that way (you know the little space on the outside that has a little plastic cover about the size of a 10 over it, my cover was missing). They went mad buzzing and they were dying in the room as they flew out and the ground outside was covered with them. Google them, gross.