For thoses with/ without Automatic fly systems

[ddb]

Building a small backyard barn and want to hear if this is really worth spending the big bucks on. Barn is small - three stalls and an inside wash stall. DH thinks we should put one in, and I'm all for this except when I priced them :eek: wow expensive!!! He agrees and thinks they are way over priced, but worries that we will be over run with flies this summer if we don't install one (buggy Midatlantic area).

I was hoping to see one on sale (off season), but haven't seen any price reductions as of yet.

We're still in the building phase so please give options if this is a must have or a luxuary we can do without.

[downthecenterlinetheycome]

I boarded at a barn that had it and it was wonderful. Just great. My mom could never figure out why this barn was so "clean" until I told her, there's no flies! I literally hadn't seen a single fly after 4 months of boarding there. Even in summer, it was pretty good! It even seemed to help with the nearby pasture!

[Evalee Hunter]

With proper management, you can certainly do without. Most people do.

There are all kinds of options: feed through fly control, parasitic wasps (don't sting), battery operated individual fly spray dispensers in each stall, etc. Could combine some options ... as, feed through fly control plus individual fly spray dispensers, for example.

Also, remember that a big key to the whole thing will be manure management. I can't really advise you very well on that but others can & there have been good threads on composting, etc.

[findeight]

IME you can manage a small barn well enough so you don't need one. Design a proper manure disposal system so you don't store it right next to the barn and keep up with either hauling it away or spreading it. Keep the stalls clean and dry to avoid attracting the little buggers.

Spend a little money there instead of the expensive auto system for 3 stalls.

I do like them in big barns, never felt them needed in a small one that was well managed.

[2DogsFarm]

Depends on how much time your horses will spend stalled.
I have boarded in a fancy barn with an auto-sprayer in each stall and frankly it was a nuisance.
You'd be in the stall grooming and Psssssssssst!!! you got a faceful of flyspray along with your horse :mad:

You can get along fine in a small barn with just good housekeeping - remove manure from stalls & inside barn ASAP and you're halfway there.
Horses don't draw flies as much as a foodsource does.

For a much smaller investment you can get battery-operated sprayers for each stall and/or the aisle. About $30 to startup and less for refills - Country Vet makes one kind:

http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/flycontrol/countryvetflyspraykit.html?E+scstore

If you go with flytraps be sure to put them in a sunny place outside the barn. You don't want to attract the flies inside.

[seabreeze]

In my small barn (3 stalls, a feed room, and a center aisle) I use the battery-operated Country Vet dispensers (2 batteries...C or D, I can't recall). I have one in each stall. They work beautifully. Also, I don't have to use precious space in my small barn for the tank and such.

The dispensers with a can of fly spray and a can of deodorizer cost about $40 each. You can purchase the refills, which last for 30 days, for $6.15/can (or $5.95/can for 12 or more) from Valley Vet with free freight. Once you've purchased the dispensers...$120 well-spent in my case...you're looking at $18/month for about six months (May - October)...about $108/year. I'm in the buggy, coastal mid-Atlantic as well. This was the best option for me.

Congratulations on your new barn! Good luck!:)

[GallopHer]

For those who use the battery operated misters - I have a question. I have dutch doors on each stall that open to the pasture and dutch doors that open into an open air aisle. The top half of the doors are almost always open.

Would it be a waste of money for me to install the battery operated misters with this setup?

Thanks.

[Nicker]

We have the system in our barn, it was put in by the previous owners. I absolutely love it, and will definitely have one in our next barn. We do all the repairs ourselves. You don't have to have someone install it for you, it's pretty easy to put up.

The barn is 9 stalls, feed room, hay area, a small garage and what was suppose to be a wash stall but the ATVs have taken over.

[lilypondlane]

I have an 8-stall center aisle barn and bought the 55-gallon drum system two years ago from United for less than $1K -- if a smaller one is available, it would probably do fine for a 3-4 stall barn. The husband of a boarder and I installed it in a couple of hours. The tank sits outside the barn. Even with the best barn management practices, we had zillions of flies before we installed the system and zero afterwards. One half-gallon of the insecticide lasts a whole summer. My horses are in from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer -- primarily to avoid the flies and B-52 bomber horse flies.

[seabreeze]

For those who use the battery operated misters - I have a question. I have dutch doors on each stall that open to the pasture and dutch doors that open into an open air aisle. The top half of the doors are almost always open.

Would it be a waste of money for me to install the battery operated misters with this setup?

Thanks.

IME, it works fine. All three of my stall doors are just the bottom half of dutch doors (no top part to close). I keep both main barn doors at the ends of the aisle open, and two of the stalls each have a large, open window at the back. The third stall has a dutch door at the back instead of a window, and the top of the dutch door is always open.

[event1]

We had one installed in our new 6 stall barn with nozzles in each stall, down the aisleway, in the feed room and wash stall. Before we had it put in, my husband was a little skeptical and leary of the cost, but now that we have done it, he tells everyone it is one of the best things we have done. Works great, and we got one used from our rep (it looks brand new) to help save on the cost. Would never go without one now...:winkgrin:

[Plumcreek]

I have the Pyranha (sp?) system, mfg in Houston, Texas. I like the easy control settings, and it has functioned well for 15 years now. I have the 30 gal drum for a 30 X 50 barn, one filling lasts the whole summer (only moderate flies here) , and one bottle of concentrate for a 55 gal drum lasts me 2 years. They may be the only company with a 30 gal drum. I got mine on sale in January-February. Assembled and installed it myself, and would not live without it. I leave stall doors completely open in summer, and compensate by running the system the minimum 30 seconds at more frequent intervals - up to 6 times/day in July. Right now, it is on manual and I hit it before grooming or feeding.

I also feed BugCheck from May - Oct.

[birdsong]

In my small barn (3 stalls, a feed room, and a center aisle) I use the battery-operated Country Vet dispensers (2 batteries...C or D, I can't recall). I have one in each stall. They work beautifully. Also, I don't have to use precious space in my small barn for the tank and such.

The dispensers with a can of fly spray and a can of deodorizer cost about $40 each. You can purchase the refills, which last for 30 days, for $6.15/can (or $5.95/can for 12 or more) from Valley Vet with free freight. Once you've purchased the dispensers...$120 well-spent in my case...you're looking at $18/month for about six months (May - October)...about $108/year. I'm in the buggy, coastal mid-Atlantic as well. This was the best option for me.

Congratulations on your new barn! Good luck!:)

I do also and I was a "wholesale" buyer for full barn systems. These have NO problems such as clogged nozzles...are easy to keep up with and are simply very effective.

[ddb]

Thanks for the replies!! For those who purchased would you mind telling me who you purchased from? We don't need to install now and can wait for a good sale in Jan./ Feb. I figured now would be a good time, but haven't yet seen a sale. Looking mostly online - very limited in horse supply stores around here except of course tack stores which I would think would be way up there in price. Woiuld love to find a used or redone system - don't think on my scale it would have to work too hard:)

[event1]

We purchased our throught a guy named Dennis Deacon...he has been doing it for years and know everyone in Louisville and Lexington. He has done some of the biggest breeding farms, and sometimes he comes across used systems because either a farm has closed or sometimes he said, they just take out the old ones and put in new ones-sparing no expense of course. He is here in Kentucky-I am not sure where you are, but if you would like his number-I would be happy to pm it to you.:)

[Fiat Lux]

I've had so much success with fly predators that I would never even consider spraying chemicals around like that. Just my personal preference.

[EqTrainer]

I've had so much success with fly predators that I would never even consider spraying chemicals around like that. Just my personal preference.

I agree. I was really astonished at how well they worked - I was not expecting them to be so effective.

Great for me, as my skin is intolerant of all fly sprays - it burns me. I have to run out of the barns I work in when the fly spray systems kick on, and if I am downwind when flyspraying a horse, I have to go wash my face.

[Renae]

I have a friend who worked in a barn with automatic fly spreyer system for 15 years and ended up with severe alllergies she had never previously had and a weak immune system. I don't know how much truth there is to it, bt she completley blames it on the auto fly sprayers and standing under mists of those chemicals every day for 15 years, and I tend to agree with her.

I have found it is not at all difficult to manage fly populations using proper manure management and with fly predators. Screens on all barn windows and screen doors for the barn are a much better investment than a auto fly spray system, IMO.

[ddb]

I've had so much success with fly predators that I would never even consider spraying chemicals around like that. Just my personal preference.

I didn't think of fly predators. Could those who use them give some info/tips on where you deposit them? The last place I was at that used them put them into the manure pile, but it was huge and they didn't do anything with it like lime or turning, just had it hauled away once big. I plan on composting manure to then spread on an area that will be a future pasture. Would that kill them? I have heard great things about them, but they didn't work well there. On my small scale they may just be exactly what I need. I would really want to not have to deal with the chemicals from a fly system if there were alternatives DH would agree too (he really wants to keep the fly population down).

[bit-o-honey]

I temporarily kept my horses at a facility with an automatic fly spray system for 5 months. One horse developed hives for months and another had a rash all summer, although it could have been caused by something else. In addition, they did not want to drink their water in the stalls. When the system went off there was no warning and I was frequently doused with chemicals I didn't care to absorb!! One horse never got accustomed to it and would snort and run into the corner EVERY time the danged thing went off. Can't say I blamed her!! When I moved the horses back home, all the skin problems went away.

Fly predators have good reports. Manure management goes a long way to keep the flies down. You can also install box fans or ceiling fans and keep them on medium or high when the bugs are bad.

Good luck! Have fun setting up your barn :)

[didgery]

I agree. I was really astonished at how well they worked - I was not expecting them to be so effective.

Great for me, as my skin is intolerant of all fly sprays - it burns me. I have to run out of the barns I work in when the fly spray systems kick on, and if I am downwind when flyspraying a horse, I have to go wash my face.

I had to quit working at the wonderful barn that employed me because I am chemically sensitive and did not want to risk the health repercussions of working in the pesticide mist. I cannot imagine wanting to repeatedly shower my horse in the stuff.

I hope you can find another alternative (I've heard great things about fly predators!) or, if you do choose to go the flyspray route, that you don't develop any human or horse allergies or illnesses. Good luck with finding a fly solution!

[sid]

One of the best investments for my barn that I ever made. Not just as far as keeping the horses from being tormented, but just for the general cleanliness of the barn. Flys sleep at night on walls and ceilings and their waste turns the inside of a building almost black. Having been a breeder, I hated to see a sleeping newborn assaulted by flies.

As far as the "pesticides" aspect...the solution is derived from chrysanthemums. It absolutely SOAKS newborn swallows that nesting pairs build almost right under the spray nozzles. For 15 years we've had very healthy and normal babies that return every year.

The way I look at it is that if any species is sensitive to "pesticides" it is birds -- their new hatchlings would never survive if it was toxic.

Well worth the investment, to me, without question. Mine is the Phyranna product.

[josierider]

My current boarding has automatic (battery) dispensers in each stall. I hate it. The smell of pesticide makes me feel like I'm being poisoned! I am not chemically-sensitive, but I can't imagine it's healthy for horse or human to be breathing that stuff in on a daily basis. I had the one in my horse's stall turned off.

As someone else said, manure management is the key.

[deltawave]

I have a 3-stall barn and don't have a spray system. After experimenting with a lot of different practices, I'm convinced that feed-through products (Equitrol II, Solitude, etc.) plus good manure management are the way to go. I didn't even UNPACK the fly sheets and boots this year, not once. Compared to the year before when I was using predators, the flies were LITERALLY 90% better this summer.

I pick up the poop in the sacrifice paddock/run-in daily, compost everything and am fastidious about the stalls. I think next year I might tarp the manure bunkers, too--a little more work for me, but will probably help even more with flies. But I was thrilled this year--rarely even used fly spray except before a ride.

I wouldn't care to be spraying insecticide all the time, but I realize there are pros and cons to each system. My horses mostly live outside so it would hardly make sense even if the thought of needless random spraying of chemicals into their faces and lungs didn't freak me out. :)

Just because a chemical is made from pretty flowers doesn't mean it's safe to be ingested or inhaled chronically. Belladonna, anyone? Vinca alkaloids? Cocaine? Heroin? Perfectly natural. Doubt you'd see long term effects in a bird whose life expectancy is a couple of years. ;) If the local swallows don't make it, there are more to take their place.

[ddb]

deltawave wrote - --I have a 3-stall barn and don't have a spray system. After experimenting with a lot of different practices, I'm convinced that feed-through products (Equitrol II, Solitude, etc.) plus good manure management are the way to go. I didn't even UNPACK the fly sheets and boots this year, not once. Compared to the year before when I was using predators, the flies were LITERALLY 90% better this summer.

I pick up the poop in the sacrifice paddock/run-in daily, compost everything and am fastidious about the stalls. I think next year I might tarp the manure bunkers, too

I had thought about the feed throughs also. I have two in their twenties and have never used these products before because always at boarding facilities and not all horses would be on it. At home I could do this. Could you tell me if these type of products would be ok for use in older horses?

When you said tarp the manure bucnker are you putting a tarp roof over, but not touching the pile? I would think if covered (touching the pile) it would definitly keep flies away. Would it still compost with the reduced air. I will use pelleted bedding so mostly poop little sawdust going into the pile.

Where I'm at now I've been in both worlds with the spray system- when filled no flies and it's great - when juice runs out (and usually not replaced for awhile) abundant flies everywhere which isn't healthy either. Mostly what has me looking for alternatives is the price of the system. On such a small scale it might be over kill and not needed.

Thanks for all the well wishing and great advise -please keep it coming. It's really nice to hear how other manage their barns and what works and does before $$$ is spent on trying it out.

[deltawave]

Everything I've read about the MODERN feed-through fly stuff is reassuring to me. The older products were organophosphate-based and a little scary, both theoretically and anecdotally. I wouldn't use those. My oldest horse is 21 this year and has been on it for two seasons with no evident issues. I stop it after the first two hard frosts (the flies are gone after that and the stuff is pricey) and start up again in early March, about 4-6 weeks before the flies return.

As far as tarping the manure pile, yes, I'd probably lay the tarp right on top of the manure, which is contained in two 6x6x4 foot wooden "bunkers". It will still compost if it's covered, but you have to keep up with turning the pile just like always. The composting takes place on the inside, and that requires turning no matter what you do to the top layer, which is where the flies breed. Inside the pile is too hot for flies!

Pelleted bedding, BTW, is THE BEST for doing compost. :yes: