Fire ants and tiny black ants...

[Evenflo09]

I recently installed a poop board under the roosts, and started noticing these tiny black ants in the poop next morning. I clean it everyday, and it's disinfected every couple of days. Then I've started noticing a few fire ants starting to come in. I don't leave food down, and pans I use are taken up after they are done, everytime. I keep the coop as clean as I can. I was putting down DE, stall dry, and even First Saturday Lime, but their still coming. I don't see a mound AT ALL.
THINGS I'VE TRIED:
Vinegar and water spray
DE
FSL, and it does help, but I'm out right now
I went to close them up tonight, and noticed fire ants outside of the coop and run. I went and grabbed some Martins Permethrin dust and sprinkled it on as many as I could and a line around the outside fence. I didn't have that much left, but would this work inside the coop without hurting the hens? It says on the bag it can be used on all kinds of livestock, including chickens. Anyone have experience with it? Would liquid spray be better? I could dust the inside during the day keep the chickens out in the run, and at night put them up and spray the ground of the run. Should I just keep any spray around the outside perimeter instead?
If you've never had fire ants, you just don't know what they can do, and they are horrible here in the south.

 

[nuthatched]

De and vinegar won't do anything. You can get poultry dust with perithrine, it won't hurt the hens

 

[Evenflo09]

De and vinegar won't do anything. You can get poultry dust with perithrine, it won't hurt the hens

that's what I applied outside tonight. Am heading out to the feed store in the morning to get more for the inside of the coop. Thank you.

 

[PineyGrove]

that's what I applied outside tonight. Am heading out to the feed store in the morning to get more for the inside of the coop. Thank you.

I like the Permethrin, but have 7 outdoor cats that co-exist with the chickens. Five of them were born in the chicken house, after someone dropped off a stray female cat on our road and she made the chicken house her home. Now everyone is "fixed" and the cats do a wonderful job controlling mice and rats. I never see those anymore. None of the cats bother or attempt to bother the baby chicks. Unfortunately, Permethrin is a neurotoxin to cats. So I had to stop using it. Instead, I use Sevin dust. I don't think it is as good, but it's safe for both chickens and cats.