Gad the flies!

[rick]

The warm weather over the past couple of days have sent the flies in the run into overdrive. Was wondering what you all did with poop collections?
At the moment I have a bendy bucket on a hook. It was fine in the winter but now its a fly magnet. Once a week I give it to my neighbour with an allotment.
In the past I have dropped it into a bucket of water then skimmed the auboise off the top and tipped it down the drain. That works well, keeps the flies off but its a messy chore to make it drain ready.
Also have collected it in a bin with a lid but then have to lift the lid and buzzzzzzzz! Was just thinking a small incinerator bin (with a chimney in the lid), not for burning but so the little lid on top kept most of the flies in.
Or maybe a zapper? Has anyone used one of them?

 

[NicolsT]

I add mine to compost heap, in an enclosed Dalek shaped thingy. With a bit of bedding mixed in, veg peelings and lawn mowings, it makes a great compost. The flies don't seem to be bad in there.

 

[Margaid]

Get a RedTop flycatcher and hang it near your poo bucket. Someone on the other forum swore by them.

http://www.redtopflycatcher.co.uk/

 

[rick]

Thanks,
The chap I give mine to for the allotment cant get enough of the stuff for his compost. Don't generate enough garden waste or have space for a bin ourselves.
The Red Top sounds good.

 

[bigyetiman]

We have a dalek shaped composter as well and being enclosed it doesn't become a fly magnet. Red Top works well to a friend uses one

 

[Marigold]

Is there another source of fly eggs somewhere in your neighbourhood? One of the villages near here regularly makes it into the local paper because it gets infested by flies every summer, coming from a local pig farm. I can't imagine they're breeding in your nice clean run to any great extent, Rick, but could be coming in from elsewhere in large numbers, and then some of them breeding in your compost bin.
Keeping a tight lid on the bin, and keeping the bin outside of the run, and emptying it often, would probably help.

 

[rick]

Unfortunately, I don't think I can blame any pigs near here Marigold! Because the gardens are very sheltered at the back of the houses then we always have had a few more flies than might gather on an airy hill but this warm spell has caught me out with my open topped bendy bucket.
Time to get a better bin. Last summer I was putting it in the dustpan and taking it out each morning and it went down the drain but collecting it for the allotment has been the routine over winter. There's never more than half a bucket before it goes each week - need a small bin with a lid again. So thats on my bank holiday weekend shopping list

 

[LadyA]

I always find there are more flies around if there are sheep in the field next to me. I have used the RedTop Fly traps too - they are excellent. But, boy, do they stink! Like rotting corpses! :shock:

 

[Margaid]

That's presumably what attracts the flies! When I asked about disposal I was told you could just empty the contents on the compost heap and put the rest in the bin.

 

[RichmondHens]

Red Tops are great, but yes they do stink! Amazing though when you do empty them, just full of beautiful irridescent fly carapaces. Like a mini jewellery mound.
I don't fuss much about flies, they do break down the muck which would be around longer if they didn't, and provide the hens with another snack! Unless they are invading your house I wouldn't worry Rick.

 

[rick]

Thanks all,
The flies are down to just a few now. My own fault for not changing my poop handling routine before the warm weather came in. My earlier crew used to like chasing flies but these don't seem so keen.

 

[Eris]

Get some muscovy ducklings, best fly catchers ever. They even use them in the USA to keep flies down in cattle yards. Great fun watching them gallop around chasing flies.