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Flies are the bane of not only every backyard chicken keeper, but anyone who has ever tried to have an outdoor picnic, barbecue or birthday party. I hate using chemical sprays, so instead, I created these attractive herbal fly repellant mason jars. This is an excellent peppermint plant use and an ideal use for growing basil because these are scents flies don’t appreciate. Add in some vanilla, which also has fly-repelling properties, and you’ve got yourself not only one of the safest, best fly repellants, but also an effective and attractive one.  That might not matter much if you’re putting them around your chicken run and coop area, but these are cute enough that you can use them right on your picnic table or back patio.

What You Need:

Small Mason Jars

Fresh Mint and Basil Leaves

Cotton Balls

Vanilla Extract

A Small Piece of Cheesecloth

What You Do:

In a small glass mason jar, pour a liberal amount of vanilla extract over several cotton balls. You can even learn how to make homemade vanilla extract to create the most natural product. Add some fresh basil and mint leaves, rubbing or bruising the leaves a bit to release the oils. Cut a piece of cheesecloth to fit over the top of the jar and then replace the screw part of the lid, leaving the round cover off so the scent can escape.

Place the cups anywhere you don’t want flies to congregate. These work especially well near your feeders (also try setting a few on your picnic table or patio during barbecues to keep flies at bay). Clean out and replace the contents when the scent starts to dissipate.

For more natural chicken raising tips to help you keep your flock happy and healthy, visit me on Facebook at Fresh Eggs Daily or my blog by the same name.

What are your best fly repellant strategies?

Originally published in 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy.