[fifixx]

I muck out every week and keep everything as clean as possible.  However, flies are multiplying and I see the little black ones just buzzing around under the tree.  the big ones are of course in my kitchen!

what do people do?  I was thinking of getting the fly strips etc (I am organic so a blast of fly spray is not allowed!) but would be interested in prevention of flies not just their extermination!

[little blue]

fly strips, the sticky kind are great!
there might still be the odd one buzzing about, but the strip suddenly looks full & you'll wonder where they've come from!
(my sadistic streak is coming out now - I quite like seeing them all stuck fast!)

we find they come into the kitchen lots, even when its spotless (which is rare, its usually clean but untidy!)  do you have cats or dogs? cos flies love their food.
we see little swarms of flies in certain places in the garden, they kind of hang about particular areas.

If you're putting fly strips in the goat shed, its obvious  - but make sure the daft beggers can't reach them!

there does seem to be an explosion in the fly population at the moment.

[fifixx]

After cleaning out and finding maggots again, I have decided it is warm enough for the goats to be outside at night - I will leave the access to the shed but no straw.  They are not shut up at night any more and I often find them snoozing in the field first thing anyway.