[NooNoosdad]

This may seem a bit of an odd question but I am a novice to keeping Hens and would be more than grateful for some advice.
I have been keeping three Black Rock Hens for a month now and have a Coop which can be moved easily and a 9' foot run. The Coop sits on hard standing with the run extending onto my lawn to allow access to fresh grass. Each week I move the Coop and Run up the lawn to allow access to fresher pastures and for any damage to the previous patch to repair. I currently alternate three patches of grassed area. Twice a day I use a small rake to clean the run of any droppings etc. My question is this. When I move the Coop and Run to a fresh area of grass, the 'used' area quickly becomes attracted to Flies/Blue Bottles, particularly in this warmer weather, which is not very welcome. To try and counteract this invasion, I have started to use the garden hose and water the area perhaps 4 - 6 times over a two hour period and repeatedly rake over the area to remove any traces of chicken droppings etc. I have even tried spraying the area with washing up liquid and even diluted bleach but taking care not to add enough to cause permanent damage to the grass.
I Just wondered if any of your Readers had any tips on cutting down the number of Flies/Blue Bottles in a situation similar to mine ?

[carolbriar]

I have a fixed run which is large and I am going in twice a day and with bucket and glove on am removing their droppings especially in this warm weather.  Also I find that if you don't they sometimes stand in them and walk around with it stuck to their feet which can't be good.  I still get some flies but generally its not too bad.  

[Caralou]

I have this problem and due to keeping ducks who wet poop I cannot poo-pick easily. Instead I use a sprinkled dry disinfectant (stalosan, zenosan, bio-dri etc) and sprinkle on the areas where there is poop and have a red-top fly catcher. I still have flies, but they are far worse if I don't do this! As you only have a few hens poo-picking as well as a dry disinfect on the used area should help minimise the breeding cycle 

[themagicaltoad1]

Think of the flies as entertainment, mine go mad trying to catch them

[Wild Pony]

Blue/Green bottles are curious lil devils and are lifes Mrs Mops, they lay their larva on anything from poop to decomp bodies and the larva eat the place they're laid on, mature and move on. Unless the birds are unhealthy and have wounds it is very unlikely they will cause problems to the birds (make sure they wear clean knickers). The poop contains some proteins that attracts them and can home in on it within hours and lay their eggs, maturing in about 7 days if left to nature, but then they have to contend with wild birds having a snack from the grubs.

I do love entimology and forensics, lolololol

[nicky d]

I think thats about the only down side to keeping chooks the bloomin flies,  must admit im not too bad this yr with flies, last yr was alwful, they were everywhere,  like carolbriar im poo picking about 2 a day,   its the runny poos i hate,  i generally leave them to dry out and then pick them up, theres nothing worse than trying to pick up the wet poo and it gettting everywhere,  i tried watering the wet poos down much to the amussment of one of my girls who would quickly come over and start scratching at the wet area so i stopped that, she made a right mess.   nickyx

[Ma Lowe]

My girls have acess to the top part of the garden which is approx 60 x 25ft and is lawned. They pooh all over the grass but we pooh pick numerous times a day. The brown wet ones seem to attract the flies more so once picked i spray with diluted Jeyes fluid seems to keep the flies off it and not do any harm to the grass.

[NooNoosdad]

Hi Folks and Thank You very much for your replies and advice

[Amy6]

Someone else suggested spraying diluted vinegar after poo picking as the flies dislike vinegar. I've been doing this. Working so far...

[tezlin]

Thanks Caraloo the red top flycatchers are on their way have also passed the info onto my chicken keeping sister too. I dont mind a few flies but this is just to many will also try the dry powder disinfectant.
Lin x

[wildwitchy]

They were driving me mental till i switched over to hemcore/equibed. Poo pick every day, I use jeyes fluid to spray (every other day),clean the coop & hang up fly paper but im thinking of getting the red top fly traps as id heard they are good.

I hate flys.

[pigeonpie]

Our girls free range so have a pretty large area to poop in so we don't bother picking it up from the grass or flower beds as it tends to grow in and I think of it as great fertiliser.  However, they do tend to spend a lot of their toileting time on the patio, right outside the house!  We tend to wait until a really good drying day before sweeping it up and putting it on the compost heap and in the meantime warn anyone who comes round to our house that they're likely to stand in chicken pooh!  I'm hoping that the increase in flies may be enough to entice the spotted flycatchers back that nested in our garden last year but which I haven't seen yet this year.  The chickens love to try and sneak up on the flies and munch them up and I'm pretty sure plenty of other wildlife in the garden appreciate the increased food supply that the flies provide.  Try to see them as a positive.
With regard the pooh, my grandad used to keep chickens and he used to collect all the pooh, spread it out on a shelf in the shed and let it dry so that he could use it as a really concentrated fertiliser.  He has always had the best geraniums and fuschias so I guess it must work.  Maybe I will save him some pooh up for his birthday present!!!

[susan - happy hens]

I poo pick several times a day and squirt the patio with jeyes fluid. Wild Pony -What do you mean by wear clean knickers?

[NooNoosdad]

  Many Thanks Amy6 - After moving my Hen Coop and Run to a fresh area of Grass for the coming week, I tried the Vinegar/Water mix in a Watering Can and it worked a treat and you're right, the Blue Bottles/Flies just hate it