Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Tensing on July 27, 2006, 11:35

Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on July 27, 2006, 11:35: Just been out to check the ducks and Bantams and saw something shinny and colourful in run, on closer inspection I realised it was blue bottles feasting on duck poo, wouldn't mind but I only cleaned the entire area yesterday.

Any way I hate flies, especially blue bottles, i need some advice on traps or deterrents other than the obvious cleaning up poo, which I do every day any way.

I have looked at these two products and wondered if any of you use them, are the effective with blue bottles.

http://www.pestcontrolshop.co.uk/acatalog/FLITRAP_FLY_TRAP__2-PACK_flies.html

Ebay Link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RED-TOP-FLY-CATCHER-FLY-CONTROL-FLY-KILLER-TRAP_W0QQitemZ180011184242QQihZ008QQcategoryZ50365QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: John on July 30, 2006, 23:22: Not sure on either, we use traditional fly papers in the house but I'd have thought that outdoors it's like holding back the sea. My comfrey barrel gets full of drowning flies - attracted to the smell of the comfrey, which is like an open sewer! Maybe not the solution you're looking for,
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on July 31, 2006, 09:50: Thanks anyway, I don't mind some flies, its just Blue and green bottles that I really hate.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: hermon on August 08, 2006, 12:25: careful the fly paper is high enough away from the birds!
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: rugbymad40 on August 08, 2006, 12:45: My boss has purchased an electric bug killer - like the ones you see in food shops - blue light to attract the flys and electrified bars to ZAP THEM!!!. It works extremely well and if you empty the tray every day provides some fresh food for the chickens!!
They are not cheap, but I can assure you they work very well.
Rugbymad40
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: kooringa on August 13, 2006, 00:17: I put garlic powder in with my chicken food, and don't seem to have had problems with flies - the poo doesn't smell either - maybe that has something to do with it.

Or maybe we just aren't getting many flies in the countryside where I live :lol:
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Aunt Sally on October 07, 2006, 18:23: I add garlic powder to my hens food too. It really does stop their poo smelling to badly even in the hot weather :wink: I use the type you can buy at the horse feed suppliers. :)
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on October 08, 2006, 10:21: Mine love Garlic, they'll happily eat whole cloves of it at a time, I also add it (the horse powder one) to their food.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: muntjac on November 16, 2006, 00:41: hang some road kill up on fences near to the sheds and they will attract the flies and your chucks can eat the maggots as a treat
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on November 16, 2006, 08:39: Quote from: "muntjac"
hang some road kill up on fences near to the sheds and they will attract the flies and your chucks can eat the maggots as a treat

Not sure how the neighbours would feel about that.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: John on November 16, 2006, 10:41: When your neighbours sell out cheap you can buy up their houses and resell at enormous profit! (If you stop hanging road kill, of course)
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: muntjac on November 16, 2006, 11:39: ok i will explain in more detail , take a 5 gallon plastic bucket ,old oil ones work great . remove the bottom . push a lenght of string through and secure with a t bar ( a stick to stop the rope pulling all the way out , leave a loop to hang the dead rabbit on and hang the lot up . they do not stink as yopu think they would , old keepers trick for feeding wild poults
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: kizza on November 26, 2006, 20:27: Ive heard that feeding your hens garlic, there is a risk that the eggs will smell and taste of garlic.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: muntjac on November 26, 2006, 20:31: would have thought they wouldnt touch it ... but chucks is strange creatures :roll:
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on November 27, 2006, 09:18: Mine love garlic, and eat loads of it. They have Garlic powder in their food, and will happily eat whole garlic cloves.

They eggs however are not affected.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: muntjac on November 27, 2006, 10:26: but chucks is strange creatures .i rest my case ur nor :wink:
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on November 27, 2006, 11:59: Quote from: "muntjac"
but chucks is strange creatures .i rest my case ur nor :wink:

That they are.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 27, 2006, 17:52: I've alway put garlic powder to my chooks feed. (the type you buy for horses). It helps to deoderise their poo and the flavour does not come through in the eggs :!:
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: richyrich7 on December 05, 2006, 21:23: I know this is a bit of late edition to this post, but I bought a red top fly trap for my hens last year, absolutly amazing did'nt realise there was so many flies about. Must have been 5,000 in it after a month or so!! no flies in the hen house or in my own house either. Will definately buy another next year.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: John on December 05, 2006, 23:01: Where do you get those flytraps from then?
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: Tensing on December 06, 2006, 09:05: I got mine off ebay (its still in the cupboard as I never saw another fly after it arrived) but most horse feed shops sell them.
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: John on December 06, 2006, 10:06: Thanks Caroline - we're on the edge of town and when the farmers muck spreads in the summer we get masses of flies. At one point we had 4 fly papers in the kitchen. Getting one complete with dead flies stuck to your hair is not nice. :(
Title: flies, Blue Bottles etc
Post by: richyrich7 on December 06, 2006, 10:50: I got mine off ebay too, be warned tho' they pong a bit so you need to keep them away from the house. But far better than fly paper in your hair !!