Fly control... any birds eat flies

[leecey411]

Any birds that eat flies? Maggots? Anybody have organic fly control methods?

 

[popcornpuppy]

My chickens eat flies if they can catch them. I use food grade diotomatious earth to keep down the flies in the coop. It is safe (natural) but it may kill even the bugs that you don't want to harm such as ladybugs and honey bees. So use it only in places where pests exist and it won't harm the friendly bugs.

 

[bigtooks]

i heard that muscovy ducks are the "Mr. Miyagi's" of fly catching...i don't actually have any...but i did research them!!

there are posts on byc for homemade fly traps...go to search and type fly trap

 

[Andora]

My two Pekin ducks chase the flies all over and gobble the ones they can grab with their bills.

 

[Violet22]

I don't know if I read it here or not, I have tried searching for it again but can't find it. Awhile back, I read a post somewhere, where the lady said she threw a big dog bone she got at the butcher's, in the duck pen and she said it attracted the flies and the ducks would eat them all. She said it really cut down on her fly population.
This has always intrigued me, and I am curious if any one else has tried this. When my ducks go outside, I think I will have to try it......my curiosity is killing me!

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I use the same method with DE, and yes if they can catch them they will feast, Junebugs are there favorite I think mainly because they fly so slow and low. I also made an all natural fly catcher/trap and after it has a few hundred in it I drain it and give the chickens a treat, they lose their minds over it.

AL

 

[Freyja]

Quote:
Do tell! How did you make the trap?

 

[purpletree23]

Just my opinion (no one start yelling) but flies and their maggort have so many diseases I don't mind if my chickens catch one or 2 wouldn't give them a lot after they have been caught and are dead.

For organic fly control ( I love Golden Malrin but it's not organic) I would go to lehmans.com they have a wonderful flycatcher that works very well and a mosquito catcher. Very reasonable and you don't have to worry about pesticides.

They are a great company with reasonable shipping.

Good luck!!!

 

[mmwb]

I read an old farming book (circa 1930's) in which it suggested taking spoiled milk (to the point of somewhat curdled no doubt) and putting it out. Flys will lay eggs in the thousands in it. After it is covered with eggs, seal it up so it doesn't dry out. After a couple of days (however long the gestation time for fly egg to larva is, I suppose), you open it up and let the chickens at it. It is touted as a good way to decrease the overall number of flies in the area. They only have so many eggs to lay, and each maggot eaten by a chicken is one less future fly. Definately a protein rich treat for the birds. Any type of meat would also work, though fresh meat can attract a lot of wasps and they will make quick work of it without the flies being able to lay eggs.

Here is a link to an article about multi use of chickens and supplemental feeding ideas to keep the cost of feed down:

http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/9806/chickens.htm

 

[joey7319]

I use the fly relief water traps for flys. They have no poison, just a sent to attract the flys to the bag, once inside they drown and add to the sent. I have two of them outside my coop and there are nearly no flys inside the coop. I got mine at the local co-op where I buy my feed.