help please

[raine]

hi all, just wondered if anyone can help me. Have had chicks for roughly 3 yrs now and have never had a problem with flies but this year we have. on inspection, it looks like one of the girls has runny poos.all seem bright,alert and are eating well. I've stopped all extras apart from their pellets and a handful of corn but its continuing. what can i give them to help and how can i deal with the flies in the short time?
thanks

[sheena]

I agree the flies are a nightmare at the mo, the main thing you can do is try to keep the run as dry as possible.
Runny poos are the worst, cos of the moisture, but chook poo comes in loads of different consistencies and it's most probably normal.

The only thing you can do about the flies at present is fly papers. depending on the height of your run you can either get away with normal household one's or go for the small papers that cost quite a bit more (IMO) but take up less room with less chance of the chook's getting to it.

Have a read through this thread too, there's some other ideas floating about
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ell_49518.html

[raine]

thanks for the quick reply!-are others experiencing this too?

[MaureenHall]

Yes!!!! It's one of the "things to put up with" right now. I agree with sheena about keeping the run as dry as possible and the fly papers sound a good idea

[Suechooks]

The fly traps are really good - the ones you fill with water and the flies go in. I've used them for a few years now with good result. Also to help keep the run "sweet" I use a handful of Stalosan F which is a powder disinfectant that absorbs ammonia. Mixed with some hemcore/easibed or similar it really helps. I get my fly traps from Countrywide.

[BUFFS]

i am using those yellow sticky cards above the birds,about 6ft up,seems to keep numbers down a bit,now have torrential rain with official storm warnings,so we are back to normal summers,wet,not very warm,so had to lift half of potted tatties because of the resultant blight,trying to keep toms protected and chooks dry,anybody got a boat?.....

[Nicos]

I use a handful of Stalosan F which is a powder disinfectant that absorbs ammonia. .

Hmmm...tell us more!!!

[Suechooks]

Hmmm...tell us more!!!

Whadya wanna know!? Its just what it says on the tin really! I buy an 8kg tub which lasts me ages - about�16 I think. Some feed places sell it or online. In winter when its muddy and wet I put a handful on the wood chippings in the run and also in the coop. In summer I chuck it in with the clean bedding and it keeps smells away as well as absorbing moisture. Its really useful stuff.
You can buy it in a 25kg sack but I'm not sure how I'd store that much without it getting damp

[RichmondHens]

Have they been wormed recently? Runny poos can indicate worm infestation so if not done recently then do again with Flubenvet. Yes there are a lot of flies about but we do need them, they are part of the food chain. I think my birds do extra poo deliberately to trap flies so they can catch and eat them!

[lettucegrow!]

I'm using Stalosan as well after someone reccomending it. I have sprinkled it around the run and it's definitly kept things sweeter. Chooks are very wary when I start sprinkling but it's harmless to them- maybe they don't like the colour!