tom wrote:
[...]
The wife's fallen out with me, the kids wont go outside and the
next
door neighbors are going mad.

Has anyone got any advice (I'm desperate now) on what I can do
about
the horrible flies (I haven't seen flies like this before)?

And the smell, Is ther anything i can to tone it down a bit?


The pong, like the flies, will go away when it's good and ready, I'm
afraid.

First thing, check to see if the chicken shit is mixed in, or mainly
lying on top of the soil. It sounds from the flies that it's not well
mixed. I don't want to sound daft, but covering with soil will help:
if the good stuff isn't perfectly mixed with the soil, perhaps you
could extract enough pure earth to bury the muck. Also try a
tarpaulin (or those big plastic sheets the sheds sell for
decorating); that will show everybody you're trying, and, by keeping
things warm and moist, may accelerate the return to freedom from
effluvium.

Alternatively, you could spend the weekend spreading it all out where
you intended to in the first place: I think the smell will go away
much quicker, but the actual rotting-down process will be slowed. You
may very well kill some of your plants, too, as it's obviously fresh,
not well rotted. In an emergency like this, I'd be inclined to put as
much as possible on the vegetable patch, digging in if possible, and
sacrifice the crops for now.

I suppose it's too late to offer your neighbours as much as they
want?

You could always sell the stuff in the free ads! If you make a
profit, make sure Mrs Tom benefits: this is no time for
self-indulgence!

--
Mike.