6 Best Pour On For Fly Control Around Poultry Houses Old Farmers Swear By
Discover 6 farmer-approved pour-on solutions for fly control around poultry houses. Learn which time-tested options offer the most effective protection.
Nothing ruins a peaceful morning by the coop faster than a cloud of buzzing, relentless flies. One minute you’re enjoying your coffee, the next you’re swatting at pests that seem to multiply by the hour. For poultry keepers, flies aren’t just an annoyance; they’re a direct threat to the health and productivity of your flock.
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Why Fly Control Is Critical Around Your Coop
Flies are more than just a nuisance. They are flying vectors for disease, carrying bacteria and pathogens from manure piles and other filth directly to your chickens’ feed, water, and living spaces. This can lead to outbreaks of everything from salmonella to coccidiosis, stressing your birds and weakening their immune systems.
A heavy fly load also causes significant stress on the flock. Constant irritation from biting and landing flies can lead to reduced egg production, weight loss, and agitated behavior. In severe cases, flystrike can occur, where flies lay eggs on a bird, leading to a maggot infestation that can be fatal if not treated immediately. Getting control of the fly population isn’t about comfort; it’s a fundamental part of responsible animal husbandry.
Ultra Boss Pour-On: The Heavy-Duty Solution
Ultra Boss Pour-On offers a natural approach, complementing veterinary medicine. This quart-sized solution is manufactured in the United States.
When you’re facing a wall of flies that just won’t quit, you need something with serious knockdown power. Ultra Boss Pour-On is a go-to for many old-timers because it combines two active ingredients: permethrin and piperonyl butoxide (PBO). The permethrin provides the killing action, while the PBO acts as a synergist, making the permethrin even more effective.
This combination makes it particularly potent for heavy infestations. When used as a premise spray (diluted according to recommendations for that use), it creates a residual barrier on walls, rafters, and other surfaces where flies land. A single application can offer protection for weeks, which is a huge time-saver when you have a million other farm chores calling your name. It’s the tool you pull out when lesser methods have failed.
CyLence Pour-On: A Fast-Acting Fly Barrier
Sometimes you don’t need long-lasting power as much as you need immediate relief. If you’ve had a sudden population boom after a wet spell or a delivery of new bedding, CyLence Pour-On is an excellent choice. Its active ingredient, cyfluthrin, is known for its incredibly fast action. Flies that land on a treated surface are affected almost immediately.
Think of CyLence as the emergency response in your fly control toolkit. It’s perfect for spraying around doorways, windows, and coop vents to create a barrier that stops new flies from entering. While its residual effect might not be as long as some other options, its speed is unmatched for getting a sudden outbreak under control right now.
Permectrin CDS for Long-Lasting Protection
The "CDS" in Permectrin CDS stands for "Controlled Delivery System," and that’s exactly what makes it unique. This formulation is designed to slowly release its active ingredient, permethrin, over an extended period. This technology is a game-changer for the busy hobby farmer.
When diluted and sprayed on coop surfaces, the micro-encapsulated formula sticks around longer than standard permethrin solutions. It means you aren’t re-spraying every week. This is ideal for applying in the early spring to get ahead of the fly season, establishing a protective barrier that lasts through multiple weather cycles. It trades some of the immediate knockdown power of other products for superior endurance.
StandGuard Pour-On: Potent and Effective
StandGuard Pour-On is another potent option that has earned its place in the barn. Its active ingredient, gamma-cyhalothrin, is a highly effective synthetic pyrethroid that works at very low concentrations. This means a little bit goes a long way, making it a cost-effective solution for treating large areas.
This product is known for its robust residual activity against a wide range of pests, not just common houseflies. It’s a solid, all-around choice for maintaining a fly-free zone. If you’re dealing with stubborn fly populations that seem resistant to other treatments, switching to a different active ingredient like the one in StandGuard can often break the cycle.
Martin’s Permethrin 10% for Premise Spray
While not a "pour-on" in the traditional sense, Martin’s Permethrin 10% is a staple for premise control and is used in the same way. This is a liquid concentrate that you dilute with water to create a spray. Its straightforward, single-ingredient formula is reliable and economical.
This is the workhorse product for general maintenance. You can mix it in a pump sprayer and treat the exterior walls of the coop, nearby vegetation (away from foraging areas), and manure piles. Because it’s a concentrate, one bottle can last an entire season, making it one of the most budget-friendly options for keeping fly numbers at a manageable level.
Gordon’s Permethrin-10: A Versatile Choice
Similar to Martin’s, Gordon’s Permethrin-10 is a trusted concentrate that offers incredible versatility. This is the kind of product you’ll find in almost any farmer’s chemical shed because it can be used for so many different pest control applications around the property, not just the chicken coop.
Its 10% permethrin formulation is easy to dilute for use in a sprayer. It provides a dependable residual barrier on wood, concrete, and other surfaces where flies rest. The key benefit here is utility; you buy one product to handle fly control at the coop, ant problems near the house, and other insect issues in the barn. For a small-scale farm, that kind of multi-purpose value is hard to beat.
Safe Application and Off-Label Use Warnings
Here is the most important part of this entire discussion. These products are formulated as pour-ons for cattle, not for poultry. Using them as a premise spray around your coop is considered an "off-label" use. This is a common practice, but it means you, the applicator, assume all responsibility for using it safely.
Crucially, you must NEVER apply these products directly to your chickens. Doing so can be toxic and potentially fatal.
When using these products as a premise spray, follow these non-negotiable safety steps:
- Remove your flock. Move all chickens to a separate, secure area before you begin spraying.
- Remove all feed and water. Take feeders and waterers out of the coop or cover them completely with a heavy, non-porous tarp.
- Ventilate and wait. After spraying the walls, ceiling, and exterior, allow the area to ventilate and dry completely before reintroducing your birds. This can take several hours.
- Read the label. The product label is the law. Follow all instructions for mixing, personal protective equipment (gloves, mask, eye protection), and disposal. Your goal is to kill flies, not harm yourself or your animals.
Ultimately, effective fly control is about using the right tool for the job while prioritizing the safety of your flock. By understanding the strengths of each product and committing to safe, responsible application, you can win the war against flies and maintain a healthier, more peaceful environment for your chickens.
