# Fly control



## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

Well, the flies are out in full force with the warm weather. A while back I seem to recall reading something on this board about purchasing some type of parasite that will kill flies. Can someone refresh my memory?

Thanks


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

I don't know if this is what you are talking about, but they are little bugs that you can buy called fly predators. I've never used them, but I know of people who have. I usually just hang fly traps out of the goats reach. It doesn't get rid of them all, but it sure helps!


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

I did Fly Predators last year. Did ok, but I have free range chickens and well....I guess the are pretty tasty.  

I give everyone Garlic Barrier once a month, and it really seems to keep everything from getting on the animals. It also keeps the worm load down. My vet seems very pleased with my herd. :hi5: 

Some people use ziplock bags of water. Something about the reflection looks like a spider web to flies. :shrug: I'm going to try this over the doors to the sheds. I wondered if old CD's would work too? I have a ton of those. They keep birds out of the fig tree's. (holds up better than tin pie plates) Red, glass Christmas ornaments saves the tomato plants from blue jays. (funny as heck to see one tapping on the fake tomato and he gets nothing) :slapfloor: 

Gina


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

Do you spray the garlic barrier on them or do they ingest it?


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Last year I had a muscovy duck with the goats, and no issues. He didn't make it through the freak freeze, and now I have too many flies!

I have duck eggs in the incubator....


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

Billmac,

The Garlic Barrier is pure garlic juice. It's 1cc for sheep and 2cc for goats. I found it online by way of a friend who is all organic and can't use regular wormers. Google it and see what you think. I've used it 6 months know and like it. She used it well over a year and loves it. (just beware when they maa and baa in you're face) :shocked: 

Gina


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

my fly situation isn't too bad actually ( fingers crossed) but i have flyspray and the water bag trick works


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

sarah, the water bag thing works for you? I tried it in my barn and it didn't do anything at all, is there some secret to it?


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

I guess nobody else here has fly problems?? Boy are you all lucky. Here's my protocol:

(tried fly predators one year, chickens eat them and DE kills them, waste of money)

daily dusting of wet spots with DE
free range chickens
hanging traps, they stink but catch thousands of flies
Farnham Fly repellent (pyrethrum) spray every couple of days. 
Farnham horse roll on fly stuff on ear tips and nose ridges if someone's being particularly bothered

I still have too many flies.

What are others doing?


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

I think I need a duck to add to my flock of chickens...where do ducks sleep at night?


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

We have 2 muskcovie (sp?) ducks, Jake and Molly, they make a BIG mess. If it rains, big messy mud puddles. They pick something up, put it in the water buckets. Soured mud at the bottom of the bucket when you dump it is not a good smell. :shocked: It also attracts more flies. :sigh: Jake likes to sleep on the front porch. Duck poo is VERY slippery when you walk out the door at 5:30 am. :doh: Molly sleeps under the shed like a good duck. 

I put gold fish in their swimming pool....they ate them...well...most of them. What the didn't finish, ended up at the bottom of the water buckets. EEEEEWWWWW!!!
So, we have flies, slippery poo, gross mud/half eaten bugs and fish in the buckets and skitters cause we can't keep fish in their pool. Oh, almost forgot...Jake knocks on the door when he want's something or your late feeding. He also eats the cat's food. Thor hates him. :GAAH: 

Did I mention they bite the goats? Ya they do. Ben and Fancy hate them. :angry: I think that's it....


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

We're also battling the flies here, especially after all of the heavy rain. It's awful! I've been spraying our guys down with horse spray and then spraying some of it on a washcloth to do around their faces and ears (like I do the horses). In their shelter I've been using that Raid Flying Insect Killer (spray can) and spraying the walls on the weekends when I rake out and burn bedding. Now the flies are still flying in there but they aren't landing on the walls or ceiling. :chin: Just landing on the goats if I don't spray them every single day. I just saw some stuff at the feed store the other day called "Equi-Spot". It's like Top Spot for dogs, I guess, but supposed to repel the flies for two weeks. I may give that a whirl but the garlic sounds better and cheaper! I was tempted to hang up fly strips until I envisioned the goats eating them or the babies having them wrapped around their faces. :laugh: Until they learn to quit pooping in their shelter, it may be a loosing battle.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Perfect7 said:


> I was tempted to hang up fly strips until I envisioned the goats eating them or the babies having them wrapped around their faces. :laugh:


 :ROFL:


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

I get the fly predators every year, an auto shipment every month during the warm weather. They make an enormous difference for me, I have no chickens or ducks, and would be a little nervous about what garlic might do to my milk. It's very much about the milk for me. I get them here http://www.spalding-labs.com/Default.aspx. Turn your volume down if you go there, they talk, I hate that. I tried the hanging things and the strips, and they just don't do enough, although they work. I still have some flies, but not the swarms of them I used to have without them. I'm sure it is much more pleasant for the animals, and me too.

Jan


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## LuvmyGoaties (Mar 9, 2010)

I also use Fly Predators. They make a huge difference. One year I decided I couldn't afford them and we were absolutely over run with flies. I have gotten them from Spaulding buthave used Arbico http://www.arbico-organics.com/. I have found Arbico to be cheaper and they have excellent customer service. If at any point during the summer you find that you have too many flies they will send you an extra pack at no charge.

Jen


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## Suellen (Mar 9, 2008)

When using the Garlic juice does it flavor the milk?


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

mrs. lam said:


> We have 2 muskcovie (sp?) ducks, Jake and Molly, they make a BIG mess. If it rains, big messy mud puddles. They pick something up, put it in the water buckets. Soured mud at the bottom of the bucket when you dump it is not a good smell. :shocked: It also attracts more flies. :sigh: Jake likes to sleep on the front porch. Duck poo is VERY slippery when you walk out the door at 5:30 am. :doh: Molly sleeps under the shed like a good duck.
> 
> I put gold fish in their swimming pool....they ate them...well...most of them. What the didn't finish, ended up at the bottom of the water buckets. EEEEEWWWWW!!!
> So, we have flies, slippery poo, gross mud/half eaten bugs and fish in the buckets and skitters cause we can't keep fish in their pool. Oh, almost forgot...Jake knocks on the door when he want's something or your late feeding. He also eats the cat's food. Thor hates him. :GAAH:
> ...


Gina,
I think it may be time for a wonderful duck dinner! :ROFL:


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## ENC (Jan 3, 2010)

The fly (bag type) traps work better than the strips and are easier to dispose of as well. 

Evan


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

Migoat,

No matter how big of a pain Jake is, (Molly's pretty good) I have had them too long to eat them. Although I do threaten. :greengrin: I may go ahead and take them to the auction though. Maybe weed out some chickens too. We just had about 20 bantam frizzle mixes hatch. :sigh: The little buggers are everywhere.

Did I mention we got about 20 blue orphingtons last month? (just hatched) They have feathers now, so we will start weeding out the roosters. We have 1 black copper rooster and 6 black copper hens. 2 weindots, 2 black giants, 2 black australopes, 4 cochine frizzles, 1 red shoulder yokahama....I think thats it....

Anyone need a chicken?

BTW, I don't know about garlic in milk. :shrug: I don't milk yet.

Gina


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

My chickens (so far this season) have done NOTHING for the flies. However, they free range so they aren't always around the barn. Our goat stall is infested!


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## Riot_My_Love (Jul 12, 2009)

Fly predators- WASTE! We had them with my horses... DO NOT WORK! You can make home-made traps out of milk jugs.. That does work either.. There's a chemical pellet thingy that we put in our horses feed that kills fly eggs. It works- and you can give some to the goats. Garlic powder in the food works also  I still do that when flies are eating up the goaties.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

Well, I'm trying out a new method of fly control that will prove to be inventive or incredibly stupid. I saw the cow fly/tick/lice you-name-it repellant eartags at our feed store today while I was there and bought a bag of 10 for $18. The guy said they last all season March-Oct.
I took them home, made a spare hole in my goat's collars, and inserted the tags (one per customer). :laugh: Already saw it does nothing for gnats.
We shall see, but so far no flies landing on them (course, they still have some horse fly spray protection). The horse flies were terrorizing them yesterday so I had to. It did say not for lactating animals when used for human consumption.
That would be wonderful *if* it actually works. I figured for that price it was worth it to find out. They look kind of sharp sporting their bright orange tags.


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