Curious what people’s favorite barn system is, and if anyone has done any kind of DIY fly spray system that works well and saves on cost. They are very expensive but I am about ready to bite the bullet and get one. I hate flies!! Thanks for any advice or suggestions…
I once had a handy plumber friend who saw one of the fly spray systems and laughed about how much it cost. He said it could be made for a fraction of the cost (now wondering why I didn’t say, “Okay, so do it!”?).
Do you have any such friends? Gadget-y type guys? Bet they could do it…
I personally love the Pyranha Spray Master System. Works wonders! Here is the link for it from SmartPak
http://www.smartpakequine.com/pyranha-spray-master-system-8353p.aspx?cm_vc=Search
DIY spray system will be about $385 - $520 based on a 100’ run with 20 nozzles.
You can buy a pump for misting systems for $125.
http://www.mistking.com/Large-Capacity-Diaphragm-Misting-Pump.html
The plastic barrels can usually be found local for $15 or less
Nozzles will run between $9 - $15 each.
http://www.mistking.com/home.php?cat=260
Tubing will run between 0.35 - 0.50 per ft.
http://www.mistking.com/home.php?cat=257
Figure about $30 for a simple programmable plug-in type timer.
I have a friend that put one in his barn and his neighbor’s barn- older dude that likes to putter! I’m sure it was inexpensive because he doesn’t like to spend too much money. I don’t know how they compare to commercial systems, but I’m not crazy about the auto fly control. Occasionally I’ll take care of the ponies for a day or weekend, and when those suckers kick on when I’m feeding/cleaning stalls I feel like I’m being poisoned.
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[QUOTE=pds;6365756]
DIY spray system will be about $385 - $520 based on a 100’ run with 20 nozzles.
You can buy a pump for misting systems for $125.
http://www.mistking.com/Large-Capacity-Diaphragm-Misting-Pump.html
The plastic barrels can usually be found local for $15 or less
Nozzles will run between $9 - $15 each.
http://www.mistking.com/home.php?cat=260
Tubing will run between 0.35 - 0.50 per ft.
http://www.mistking.com/home.php?cat=257
Figure about $30 for a simple programmable plug-in type timer.[/QUOTE]
THANK YOU!!! 
These links will probably save me $1000! Super, thank you so much!
Our barn came with a 30-gallon Pyranha system and it’s amazing. My husband bought all new tubing at .16 per foot and rerouted everything. The nozzles were previously in the stall doorways instead of the center of the stalls and there was nothing running down the aisle. We were lucky and were able to reuse all of the existing nozzles except one. I’m shocked, though, at how expensive they are.
I was amazed at how fast it worked. I used to go in there and spray the bedding each morning with Pyranha Wipe and Spray, but that would have gotten very expensive, very quickly.
My fly control system are cute, lay eggs & actually make us money rather then cost it ;).
Just another option for yah.
(Oh, and they’re Muscovy ducks)
2 Likes
[QUOTE=buschkn;6367200]
THANK YOU!!! These links will probably save me $1000! Super, thank you so much![/QUOTE]
Let us know how it turns out if you decide to go the DIY way.
Curious, pds…did you get this system and how is it working out? I’m thinking about it for a second barn.
[QUOTE=JmpR_1;6363782]
I personally love the Pyranha Spray Master System. Works wonders! Here is the link for it from SmartPak
http://www.smartpakequine.com/pyranha-spray-master-system-8353p.aspx?cm_vc=Search[/QUOTE]
This is what we have and it works very well. I think we paid about $1,000 for our 6 stall (+ wash stall, etc.) barn, and my husband installed it himself in about half a day. We have the larger barrel - 55 gallons?
We installed it in the middle of bug season last year, and saw an enormous difference literally overnight. :yes:
i just put in a shoofly system and love it. 2 days no flies, bugs ect… would do it again in a heartbeat
whole system with 15 nozzles
I’ve always been curious about the fly control systems in barns. Doesnt it contaminate the water and hay in the barn?
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Depends on how much you want to spend for the concentrate. Some of the more expensive options are human food establishment rated. My nozzles are in the stall center and very little mist gets over to the water.
I have the Pyranha 30 gal system, which has worked well for 18 years now. I installed it myself without help. I think it would take a pretty savvy person to put one together from the parts mentioned above, as the pressure gage runs at 160 lbs, and I personally would not want to cobble together something with that pressure. (FYI, buy an extra pressure gage, as they blow without notice every 6-8 years or so.)
Pyranha normally runs a sale in February. Valley Vet has the best price for the Pyranha concentrate. I would never have a barn without one.
I didn’t think I would ever use a fly system, since I try and be careful about using poisonous or potentially harmful things.
However, after living in SC, there is no way I would not have a fly system in my barn. I never saw flies like I saw there…it was gross.
I put up the country vet spray and it did nothing. Nothing. I had used them in NH for years and thought they helped. In SC, didn’t even phase the flies. I would spray them directly, put fans on them, etc, and they were just horrid.
I would put up 4 fly tape a day, and fill it up, but it didn’t make a dent. I never saw anything like it.
Bring on the poison…the flies are disgusting.
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I also remembered another benefit of our system when I went to de-cobweb the barn this morning… It also kills spiders. :yes: I have precious few cobwebs in the barn since installing the system.
I have the low tech sprayers
Battery operated ones. They run about $27 a piece and run on D batteries. Batteries last 1-2 years. Bottles run abour $10 each and last a little over a month. you can get a eucalyptus Mint one that keeps those hellatious gnats away. I also use fly predators on my manure pile. Makes life manageable and the battery operated ones can go up in run in sheds, etc where you have no electricity.
Bumping this up to see if anyone has had success in making their own system, and if there are specific instuctions for “dummies” out there. The flies have absolutely defeated me this year and I can’t stand it any longer.
I’d love to save money on the $900 pyranha system, but the mistking links look like they are made to mist water…I don’t know enough about how these things work to know where to even begin on putting together my own system.
Any help?
Cheapest one ever, works fine
Bring horse into VERY CLEAN STALL
Spray with fly spray.
Take horse out of stall
Spray with fly spray
Turn out.
If you keep your barn clean, your pastures picked and your manure piles emptied out you won’t have enough flies to need one. I’ve always thought that spraying it into the air and letting the horses breathe it all in wasn’t a great idea.
I have almost zero flies in my barn. Really.
Get rid of the poop, keep your horses reasonably clean and fly sprayed and you wont have a problem.
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[QUOTE=the_other_mother;6430377]
I’ve always been curious about the fly control systems in barns. Doesnt it contaminate the water and hay in the barn?[/QUOTE]
I can’t speak for other insecticide companies, but Shoo-fly products are safe enough that you could literally eat a sandwich if you left it in your barn aisle and the system came on for 60 seconds. They are used at Busch Gardens, Disneyworld and many other huge recreational venues as well as barns and stables all across America.
