Ant killer in my back yard and baby chicks

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nharbison0722

nharbison0722

Chirping
May 26, 2016
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Hi, this is my first post on here, I've been reading All the other posts like crazy trying to learn all that I can! I wanted to ask, I just adopted 2, then 3 then 6 baby chicks...(Yes, now I understand chicken math!)... And wanted to know if the fireant killer I put out last week was going to affect the health of my babies? They are less than a week old, so they won't be going out for a while yet, but I didn't know if there was reason to be concerned or not. We've had tons of rain (I live in Texas) since I applied the fireant killer so hopefully it will be ok. Thanks for all your answers and help in advance, I'm sure I'll have MANY MORE questions later! Thanks!
 
Even weeks later, water can re-activate insect poison and kill your chickens, big or small.

There are ant powders with promethium that are safe to use around chickens. But don't use them until the chicks are a couple months old at least.

Any areas you've treated with poison, you will need to mark and fence for the next several months until the poison has all been neutralized.

I've lost chickens in this manner, and it's a horrible way for them to die. Most of us old timers have a firm rule of no insect poison anywhere around our property. Period.
 
Wow.... I sure wish I had researched this first.... I applied it over my entire yard. It said after watering in and drying, it was pet and people safe. That's why I didn't give it much thought. We are having record rains and floods here in Texas, do you think that might help? They've got about a month before they go outside. Wow I hope I haven't really messed up! :(
 
The heavy rains you're having there will definitely help wash the pesticide deep into the soil.

It's when it's dry and the pesticide just sits there and then a little rain or your sprinklers would moisten the pesticide just enough to cause little puddles and pools that would be contaminated with the insecticide. Then the chickens come along and drink out of those little pools and puddles and then they die.

The amount of rain is heavy enough to wash the pesticide away from the surface soils, so you don't need to be worried. It should all be clean in a month.

But it's the last time you will be using that stuff no matter that they claim it's safe. Chickens are very, very vulnerable to insecticides except promethium.
 
Thanks again for the advice- yes that will most definitely be the last time I do that in my yard. I was worried about my honeybees getting eaten up by fire ants. Thanks again, you're advice is really appreciated- as I'm brand new at all of this! I've definitely been bitten by the chicken bug!
 

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