Fly Control

LilElk · #1 05/07/08, 12:40 PM

I recently visited a rabitry 200 does which was in need of cleaning, but it had no fly problem. I ask them why and they pointed at water bottles hanging over there cages and said there.There was a formula of water to bleach but was unable to find out what it was, do not know if the water in the bottles were filled with the bleach water or if it just dipped in the bleach water.
Has anyone used this sytem of fly control? Did it work? What was the formula if you don't mind shareing?
Any help would be great. thanks

SILEIGH · #2 05/07/08, 01:31 PM

oh i'll be following this one!
why didn't they tell you? is it a secret recipe kind of thing?

Truckinguy · #3 05/07/08, 02:24 PM

I don't know if it helps but there is a thread on the Homesteading forum about fruit flies. There are a couple of suggestions there for fly traps, one of which uses vinegar in a baby food jar with holes punched in the lid.

Not sure how to post the link but if you search for flies it is one of the first ones on the list.

MariaAZ · #4 05/07/08, 03:04 PM

How fascinating! We have fly problems and use traps, but it would be great to find something that actually repels them.

I did a little websurfing and found this link that mention bleach and fly control:

Inexpensive Alternatives for Home Pest Control

LilElk · #5 05/07/08, 04:44 PM

I don't think it was a secret, just ust didn't believe I didn't know about it. I remember being told about this 5 or six years ago it seems that it is just tap water in the bottles that are dipped into a solution of water and bleach don't know the ratio then the bottles are hung about a foot over the cages. I muck out my barn every two weeks but,still have some flys and this time of year well I will try something new was hoping someone knew the recipe (just thought who told me about it J.H. who used to run the processing plant in Portland TN Heading back to barn now am putting in insulated cealing in new barn check back afterwhile THANKS for any help you give will check that web site tonight

Beaniemom · #6 05/07/08, 11:33 PM

I used fly traps, fly strips, bug spray if it got bad. I'm hoping that chickens do the trick and eat alot of the larve though!

I'll let everyone know at cluster fly season if the birds have helped or not!

Terry W · #7 05/08/08, 08:46 AM

I already have my fly traps baited and hung-- but this site proves interesting. I suppose hanging water outdoors above the cages would not be as effective as it would indoors, but hey, it's worth a try. I really want to make sure none of those botflys get near my buns this year.

LilElk · #8 05/08/08, 09:07 AM

Thanks everyone! the method is bottle filled with tap water dipped in one part water and one part bleach hung over cages redipped monthly. My barnes have walls and insulated ceilings, dirt floors my venting in, is low in walls and out through roof assisted by fans. now back to work. I do enjoy reading this site thanks again

tbishop · #9 05/08/08, 09:57 AM

I haven't used bleach as a fly deterent, but I have put it in my water bottles to prevent algea growth in the sun. I did so at a 1 tsp bleach/ 1 gallon water ratio. I also use the same ratio w/ imitation vanilla and had NO fly infestation. The vanilla, whether imitation or real, seems to "put off" the flies and they won't lay in the droppings. Seemed to help keep the mosquitos away, but I have no direct evidence of that- just observation. It also seems to help keep the "ammonia" smell down. Hope that helps.

Tim B.

MaggieJ · #10 05/08/08, 10:30 AM

I rarely see flies in my summer rabbitry... We get a lot of breeze here and they are in deep shade most of the day. For mosquitoes, which we do get especially in evening when the wind drops, I crush branches of catnip and lay them over the cage. It works well and it's easy and free. It repels flies too. I crush the leaves and rub it on to keep them away when I am gardening.

MariaAZ · #11 05/08/08, 02:59 PM

Beaniemom, I don't want to sound discouraging, and perhaps our situation is not normal, but once we got chickens we had even more flies. The chickens eat the larvae, but the flies are attracted to the chicken manure; in fact, I've often thought to bait the fly traps with that stuff instead of rotting meat (which works a LOT better in our traps than the commercial bait). None of our chickens has any interest in even attempting to eat adult flies unless DH or I swat the bugs first and offer them up to the hens.

june02bug · #12 05/19/08, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbishop

I haven't used bleach as a fly deterent, but I have put it in my water bottles to prevent algea growth in the sun. I did so at a 1 tsp bleach/ 1 gallon water ratio. I also use the same ratio w/ imitation vanilla and had NO fly infestation. The vanilla, whether imitation or real, seems to "put off" the flies and they won't lay in the droppings. Seemed to help keep the mosquitos away, but I have no direct evidence of that- just observation. It also seems to help keep the "ammonia" smell down. Hope that helps.

Tim B.

(with my chickens)
Just a quick note - Once I switched from my automatic waterer on the end of the hose to feeding the automatic waterer from a 55 gal. barrel - I tried the vanilla. It was cheap imitation vanilla from Walmart. Well.... it has rained lightly 3 times in the last 24 hours and usuallly flies would be everywhere but I saw 1 fly in the coop! 1 fly!!! I've also been keeping one of those disposable bag traps up - so that has really helped as well. So with the combination of these I seem to have the flies beat or at least down to hardy any. :banana02:
Just thought I'd share.

Thanks Tim B.

tbishop · #13 05/19/08, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by june02bug

... I tried the vanilla. It was cheap imitation vanilla from Walmart. Well.... it has rained lightly 3 times in the last 24 hours and usuallly flies would be everywhere but I saw 1 fly in the coop! 1 fly!!! ...

Thanks Tim B.

Isn't it amazing how well it works? I use it with my dogs too and it really cuts down on the odor. I think I got the idea from the Meat Rabbit group on Yahoo. It was either there or the old showbunny list. I'm glad it worked out for you. I gotta get on the bandwagon again too.

Tim B.

june02bug · #14 05/19/08, 04:12 PM

It's great. A few months ago when it rained there were flies everywhere and this time almost none and the vanilla has only been in there for a few days. I know the trap has helped a lot but the vanilla has finished them off.

Truckinguy · #15 05/19/08, 04:46 PM

So you just put it in the bunnies drinking water? Would this flavour the meat at all? I guess the buns wouldn't care, might even make the water tastier!

Pony · #16 05/19/08, 06:03 PM

Okay, I'm going to try the vanilla extract!

I'm sure the buns will love it...

Pony!

ourminifarm · #17 05/19/08, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaniemom

I used fly traps, fly strips, bug spray if it got bad. I'm hoping that chickens do the trick and eat alot of the larve though!

I'll let everyone know at cluster fly season if the birds have helped or not!

Good luck!

My chickens seem to make it worse! They aren't free ranged, though so that may make a difference. They say guineas are great for that sort of thing, though.

tbishop · #18 05/19/08, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truckinguy

So you just put it in the bunnies drinking water? Would this flavour the meat at all? I guess the buns wouldn't care, might even make the water tastier!

Yep- just a teaspoon/gallon. It's a cheat that show people use when they go to convention so their rabbits don't go off water- it all tastes the same when you add vanilla to it.

Tim B.

natybear · #19 05/21/08, 03:36 AM

we love using vanilla, it works well, but until we get automated waterers, we can't really do it right. we spray the rabbits with marigold spray too, that works well, and they smell good too.

bluebird2o2 · #20 05/21/08, 07:10 AM

We use fly tapes.however my call ducks love too catch flies.