It’s finally summer! There are so many things we love about summer after a long, cold winter; the warmth, the sunshine, the green grass and late nights around the campfire. I could go on and on!
Looking ahead to the hot, humid weather, we need to talk flies. Gross, pesky flies. Chickens don’t like flies and flies can transmit disease or, even worse, your chickens can develop flystrike. Google at your own risk!
Flies are attracted to manure and feed. Some common practices to keep the fly population down in your coop include removing soiled litter and keeping bedding dry, cleaning up leftover food and treats, and putting screens on your coop windows. For other tips and tricks to keep the flies at bay around your coop, check out this blog post.
A product I’ve had great success with is Coop Recuperate™ by Strong Animals Chicken Essentials. Have you ever had a favorite lotion or essential oil you wish you could just roll around in? That is how I feel about Coop Recuperate™! It has been our hands down favorite product we’ve used in the coop.
Coop Recuperate™ contains organic diatomaceous earth (DE) which is a known natural fly repellent. I just sprinkle it on top of the litter 1 to 2 times per week or as I add bedding. In addition to DE, Coop Recuperate™ also has organic essential oils like lemongrass and eucalyptus to keep your bedding fresh and dry. So, if you’re a deep litter person (like myself), I literally can sit on the floor of our coop and hang out with the girls. I walk out of there and no one would even know I was sitting with a bunch of chickens. It has been the best way for me to bond with our girls.
Most people set out to raise backyard chickens to provide quality eggs for their family. Coop Recuperate™ helps to provide a safe and clean environment for just that. And, let’s be real. The more time we spend with our feathered friends, the happier they are!
TIP: Coop Recuperate™ can also take care of stinky garbage cans. Tell those flies to move on! They will not want to grace your garbage cans with a little Coop Recuperate™ sprinkled in the bottom.