[Blarney]

I've got a real problem with flies in the coup and over the run.  I've had my girls since about October 08 and now the run is massive & therefore stationary we cannot move it as we used to.
We've been away for the weekend and have come home to sunshine, a strong smell of poo as we opened the back door (of our house) and flies in the coup and the run. 

All advice appreciated

Ta x

[Roughlee Handled]

How many chickens do you have and how big is the run?

[Blarney]

Five hens and run is about 1.5 metres by 3 metres.

[Roughlee Handled]

1.5 metres * 3 metres = 4.5m squared.  The absolute minimum is 1m squared per chicken and it really is not enough practically.

How often do you clean out the hens run? Pick up there pooo?

[chickenlady]

we have bark chips, gravel and soil down on our run floor and apart from when they have done a fresh orange poo (which stink) ours never smells, we have 7 hens in a 14 m2 run. we bought some fly/wasp traps last year which ended up full   they were brill but cant get hold of them yet!? it was a plastic pint pot with a cover and 2 small holes in it, there was a mixture you put in which attracts them to it the more flies in there the more it attracts, we bought them to catch wasps as we kept getting them come in the house! will post a pic!

[Blarney]

I'm not asking about run sizes, but about flies.  Ours may be bigger, I know the girls have room to spread their wings and run around so i'm happy.
Thanks Chickenlady, I'll try to look for those via Google.  A pic would help with the detective work.

[Roughlee Handled]

Again I ask you the question
How often do you clean out the hens run? Pick up there pooo?
You may be able to get rid of the flys with with a fly trap but it will not get rid of the smell.

[chickenlady]

here you got piccie of fly/wasp trap

[poultrygeist]

Blarney, your run size may the problem. If it's on the small size, the poo will be more concentrated so it is relevant to the question.
They could do with at least 2 square metres each, preferably more if you want to avoid the ground going sour and smelly very quickly.

Rob

[maggiem]

This website sells a non toxic flytrap called a red top flycatcher. It lasts for approximately 12 weeks and costs £9.99.  www.redtopflycatcher.co.uk
They also do a wasp deterrent too called a waspinator price £14.99 for two including postage and packing. I don't know how effective they will be but I ordered both today to try them out. maggie

[Aunt Sally]

If your run is an adequate size and you poo pick regularly then you will have no problem with smell or flies !

I would sugest you check your husbandry.

[Rubellite]

This website sells a non toxic flytrap called a red top flycatcher. It lasts for approximately 12 weeks and costs £9.99.  www.redtopflycatcher.co.uk
They also do a wasp deterrent too called a waspinator price £14.99 for two including postage and packing. I don't know how effective they will be but I ordered both today to try them out. maggie

Would be interested to see how the flycatcher works out. We do minimum chemicals in our house and when we moved in last August we did have a lot of flies, so expect we will have this year too. Let us know.

[chickenlady]

The VAPE trap in my picture is chemical free! the liquid is just water with what smells like gravey and sugar! 

[Rubellite]

The VAPE trap in my picture is chemical free! the liquid is just water with what smells like gravey and sugar! 

  Sorry wasn't being offensive just paranoid about noxious substances as sensitive to things. Just thought of the old Vapona fly spray when I saw VAPE! 

[chickenlady]

  no offence taken just wanted you to know how fab it worked and no chemicals  got it from our local garden centre £4.99 each! must be able to get them online too