Roksteddie Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 The red top fly trap has worked fantastically to keep fly numbers down in and around the chicken coop and run areas. However, now that it's been up a few weeks and with the hot weather, it stinks to high heaven! You can smell it the moment you step outside and it's really unpleasant. I'm really concerned that the neighbours will complain really soon, thinking the chickens themselves are to blame. Does anyone have any less stinky recommendations on alternatives to the red top fly trap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 They do stink and I think they attract more flies. I'd rather do without personally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Once ours smelt that bad, we buried them and put another one up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 They do stink and I think they attract more flies. I'd rather do without personally Yep I agree.. hideous thing... it's that time of year again when flies are abound. I have tried just about everything and the only thing I have found that helps is copious amounts of floor sanitizer and lots of poop picking!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasperaliceuk Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Bought these from local garden centre: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/ajg/STV-International-STV336-Buzz-Fly-Catcher-Twin/B00VAGK1RU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495989714&sr=8-2&keywords=the+buzz+fly+catcher They seem to do the job and they don't smell as bad. I've stupidly just bought a red top in a closing down sale, totally forgetting the stench they make and that I had these other things. You can buy the attractant for them separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 I had the red top thing once - it was gross It certainly was a fly attractant, attracting all the flies from near and far. I use citronella oil, lavender oil and eucalyptus oil - with a couple of drops of each on little cloths dotted around the run. Smells really quite nice and seems to work. If it's a really, really hot day I still use the cloths and light a citronella candle outside of the run around lunch time and I don't see any flies for the rest of the afternoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 I read somewhere if you put citronella oil on a terracotta pot in the sun as it warms the oil releases and keeps flies away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roksteddie Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Thanks for all the input. I've had some questions over whether the trap was actually attracting more flies to the garden so I'm going to go without a trap of any sort and assess fly numbers. The other trap mentioned on amazon also seems to have an issue with bad smells according to the reviews... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 I found the fly papers very good - no smell! :-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roksteddie Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 I found the fly papers very good - no smell! :-0 How do you use them? I imagine that they'd be a bit of a hazard for the chickens if put up in the run? Do they have something that attracts the flies to them or is it just pot luck that flies may land on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I used to hang them from a plum tree that was in my run - it was amazing how many it caught. I think there must be some kind of pheromone to attract them. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 I got put off those sticky traps when it started catching things I didn't want it to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 Did anyone ever considered using flesh eating plants? Did see an item on the Chelsey flowershow about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
