How to permanently get rid of flies in a chicken coop without harm to the bird?

Flies and midges are regular guests of livestock farms and small households, their population must be constantly monitored. Insects, with a large number, reduce the productivity of chickens. This is expressed in intoxication, caused by the entry into the body of a bird through numerous bites of potent hemolytic enzymes, leading to weakening and sometimes death of chickens.

The reasons for the appearance of flies in the chicken coop, why they are dangerous

Flies winter in the egg phase, adults lay them in shaded places with high humidity. If the walking yard and the chicken coop is located next to a beam, a brook or any other body of water, then you cannot do without uninvited, buzzing guests. Flies are active from early spring to late autumn, morning and evening, but with large invasions they fly in the chicken coop and in the walking yard all day.

Flies feel at ease in the house - they are full and warm. With a small amount, insects do not bother, do not harm chickens, on the contrary, they serve as additional food. But large hordes of flies are able to weaken the livestock, from constant bites of the birds they behave uneasily, and the laying hens are useless. Particularly attractive for insects are chickens, youngsters and broilers.

Flies and midges are carriers of dangerous diseases; they can infect birds with leukocytosis, glanders, leprosy, tularemia, onchocerciasis, and anthrax. It is very difficult to cure adult hens, and young individuals most often die.

How to get rid of flies in the house and not harm the chickens

Methods and means of control are selected based on the number of insects. With a small population, it is better to use plant repellers or special traps prepared according to folk recipes. Chemical treatments are carried out only in cases where there are too many flies.

Before using any method, you need to remove the source of the problem, if possible (old logs, household and household waste). Getting rid of adults, do not forget about eggs and larvae, it is impossible to kill them without the use of potent drugs, use long-acting products.

Folk remedies (traps and repellers)

To make the chicken coop as unattractive as possible for flies, plants can be planted around that they don’t like the smell of. For example, pharmacy chamomile or feverfew, wormwood, tansy, basil, garlic, mint and lemongrass. If it is not possible to sow grass, they are collected in bunches and hung over the entire territory where the bird is located. Planted or suspended grass should be out of reach of chickens.

Wormwood can be used in another way - to dry a bunch of grass, set fire to and light the room, leave the remains of still burning grass in a metal bucket, let them smoke, leave the room for an hour. Before the procedure, hens need to be driven out of the house, close all windows and doors. For their own protection, they put on glasses and a mask so that smoke does not enter the respiratory system.

We will not describe all possible types of bait for flies, they are based on one principle. We highlight the most interesting, tried and tested options.

As a deterrent, you can use essential oils. Extracts from plants such as cloves, lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass and mint are suitable. Oils can be poured into corks from bottles and placed in places inaccessible to birds, or you can mix them with water and spray them on the walls around windows and doors, over perches and a feeding trough.

Mechanical methods of struggle

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In the case of the chicken coop, when talking about a small number of flies - this is one or a couple of dozen insects. Of course, catching them with your hands and destroying them with a fly swatter is extremely inconvenient, but there is no need to use chemistry either. A simple solution to the problem would be special adhesive tapes. When hanging them in a chicken coop, try to choose places inaccessible for chickens, where there is a lot of light.

Sticky tapes can be made by yourself. Baking paper (parchment) is cut into ribbons 2 cm wide, the length can be adjusted at your discretion. A hole is made in each strip, a thread is threaded into it for hanging. For this method, it is desirable to prepare the following solution:

• take 1 part sugar and 2 parts maple syrup;
• mix the ingredients in a bowl, heat, but do not bring to a boil;
• mix until sugar is completely dissolved and cool.

The strips are placed in a container with the prepared mixture, covered with a lid and left for 10 or 12 hours for impregnation. After that, the tape is dried a little in the sun and hanged in a chicken coop.

On sale you can find special insecticidal lamps. Their work is based on the fact that insects fly into the light, falling on the internal metal grid, die from the discharge of an electric current. The fixture is safe for birds.

Proven Chemicals

Before using any chemicals, chickens are taken out of the room, containers with food and water are taken out, as well as “bathtubs for bathing” with special mixtures. It is also advisable to remove bedding from the floor and perches. We highlight the best drugs recommended by experienced poultry farmers:

1. Agitation - a means is sprayed on walls that receive sunlight or light from a lamp, the substance acts when heated. Granules can be scattered out of reach of birds. The working solution is prepared from 25 grams of the drug per 200 ml of warm water. The liquid is thoroughly mixed, poured into a sprayer and treated room. The action lasts for 2 months.
2. Byte - granules are scattered on substrates in places of accumulation of insects. The insecticide infects pests 15-30 minutes after eating. The byte contains sex pheromone and sugar, attracting flies, the product acts in a radius of 1 meter. Also in the composition is a bitter substance that prevents the ingestion of granules by a bird. The bait is valid for 3 months.
3. Delta Zone - the result of using the product is noticeable immediately after processing, the effect lasts for 2 months. The Delta Zone does not have a sharp chemical smell and does not harm the bird. To combat imago, a solution of 15 ml of the substance per liter of water is prepared, and with larvae, 15 ml of the drug is taken for the same amount of water. With a solution, the places of the largest accumulation of flies or the entire room are treated.
4. Dobrohim Micro - product is effective for 6 months after treatment, effectively destroys flies and is not dangerous for chickens. The substance is harmful not only to adult insects, but also to larvae. Per liter of water you will need 7 ml of substance, you need to process the walls, window, door frames, places of the greatest accumulation of flies.
5. Ziper medicine - after the first treatment, up to 97% of insects die, the effect lasts up to 2 months. The tool destroys pests even in open areas. To prepare the solution, 4 ml of substance is taken per liter of water, and places where flies, walls and openings (doors, windows) most often fly are treated.

When fighting flies in a chicken coop, do not try to save money. Some cheap products, despite the beautiful description, may not weather out of the room for a long time. After treating the chicken coop with any described preparation, the chickens are allowed into the room no earlier than 2 hours later. When working with chemicals, use personal protective equipment - rubber gloves, glasses, a mask.

Prevention of the appearance of flies in the chicken coop, tips and tricks

The main preventive measure will be regular cleaning in the barn and in the walking yard, airing, flies are hiding from drafts. Change feed and water in a timely manner (at least 2 times a day), wash containers. Clean in the house once every 7 days. Stubborn droppings and dampness under the litter are ideal conditions for all kinds of insects. Cleanliness needs to be maintained throughout the site, trash bins and compost heaps are located as far as possible from the house.

In areas near ponds, beams, landings or close proximity to groomed areas without flies in any way. In this case, plant repellent plants behind the house, put several traps in the room and in the yard, as soon as the number of flies begins to grow, immediately carry out the chemical treatment, unfortunately, there is no other way.

Finally, we give one more tip - during spring, spring cleaning and disinfection of the house, wash windows, slopes, doors and trays with water with the addition of turpentine or castor oil. Flies do not stick into the room, the smell of these funds scares annoying guests.

Reviews

Eugene. We have flies in the chicken coop appear when the garden season begins. Behind the house there are bathtubs with water for irrigation; there is no other place for them. Clear business - where there is water, there are dipterans. In the poultry house and in the courtyard where the hens walk, I hang up tansy and mint branches, periodically treat them with Agita, sell the product in a veterinary pharmacy, and kill not only flies, but also other insects.

Kristina. In the poultry house and corral it is always clean, despite the recommendations I clean the chickens very often (2-3 times a week). There are a lot of flies and mosquitoes, a small brook passes behind the site. We save the bird from insects with bait, at night we turn on insecticidal lamps and fumigators. In August, with a large invasion, you have to use chemistry, last year I bought Dobrohim, the result was not bad, this year I want to try Byte.