Ant problem in run ?!?

[ourrune]

Just got our run and coop almost done. Went to put my pullet whos been having respitory problems in the run for fresh air and there are red ants litteraly everywhere! I put some granuals down in small area but it didnt really work. What can i use that is safe for them? My husband bought some top of the line ant killer which are more granuals, but im worried about them eating it. What can i use to get rid of the ants and get the pullets in their run? !
If its okay to uze the commercial ant killer how long before i can put my girls back in?!

TIA

 

[Farm Sweet Farm]

I don't think that the ants would hurt your girls if they ate them. I wouldn't try to use any bug killer because that will harm your chickens. My chickens have eaten plenty of ants and they are fine so if you just left the ants, nothing would hurt your chickens.

 

[ourrune]

They are very bad though. So many of them that i think they might possibly take them over. Im in florida and the ants that are in there are the red ones their bites hurt and itch and the bite area gets full of poison. If too many bites it could get bad. Ive seen the ants eat a whole large frog before. At first i thought it was only one pile until i looked further. If they bite them the chickens would quite possibly pick wounds in their own feet trying to itch the bites and then they might get infected. At least thats what ive been worried that could happen.
its realy disappointing because they are ready to get outside! I wish i could leave them alone but i think there are just way too many.

Someone told me to try grits?

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Tranquil Acres]

We paid a professional ant company to treat our 10 acres for fire ants. We have Chicken, Horse, Dogs, Cats, Gopher Tortoises and Foxes they tell us it is safe for all our animals. So fare it is working, it is good for 6 months then will have will have to retreat.

 

[Tranquil Acres]

Try Diatomaceous Earth it works on ants and will not hurt chickens. You can get it from your local feed store.

 

[ourrune]

Oh yeah i saw that there. Ive heard of that a lot on these forums. It really works? Have you tried it? I understand why u guys paid a pro thats a lot of land to cover!! Lol thanks

 

[wlantry]

Fire ants? Find the mound in the run. Turn the hose on full, stand a few feet back, and flood the mound. Really flood it... It goes down a few feet. Find the next mound in the run. Repeat.

You won't kill them, but you Will disorganize them. Now put your chickens in the run. For days, they'll have a heck of a good time eating every single ant they can find.

Good luck!

 

[ourrune]

Well we put, 'garden tech over and out' ant killer on there like idiots! The bag said safe for use around animals if used correctly. I didnt think it through apparently, So we did a broadcast on the yard AND treated the mounds. I figured id then maybe wait a week to put them out there and called the company to confirm how long and they said since we eat the eggs to wait 6 months to a year!!!
Now i need more advice more than before! Really wish id just tried to see how they fared out there with them it was just so very bad.
my pullets probably wont be laying eggs for about 5 or 6 months anyhow but they will on that grass and soil the whole time up until then. Does anyone think there is anything we can do? I am so depressed over this we worked so hard to get this coop and run together and i was so excited to finally watch our girls live life like they should outside in their new coop and run for the first time and now i have no idea what to do!!

Does anyone think if we pull up the grass that is in there by a couple inchs and water it really good and let the sun hit it for a week that it will be safe for them? They are so ready to get outside i feel horrible for them, i planned to let them possibly free range with supervision eventually and now the whole yard is poison! Anyone have any suggestions please?
Have not had good luck since we started our chicken journey last month!

 

[Messipaw]

Food Grade DE will work.

 

[wlantry]

Does anyone think there is anything we can do? I am so depressed over this we worked so hard to get this coop and run together and i was so excited to finally watch our girls live life like they should outside in their new coop and run for the first time and now i have no idea what to do!!

The label says it's a pyrethoid. Here's some basic info:

"Pyrethroids were introduced in the late 1900s by a team of Rothamsted Research scientists following the elucidation of the structures of pyrethrin I and II by Hermann Staudinger and Leopold Ružička in the 1920s. The pyrethroids represented a major advancement in the chemistry that would synthesize the analog of the natural version found in pyrethrum. Its insecticidal activity has relatively low mammalian toxicity and an unusually fast biodegradation. Their development coincided with the identification of problems with DDT use. Their work consisted firstly of identifying the most active components of pyrethrum, extracted from East African chrysanthemum flowers and long known to have insecticidal properties. Pyrethrum rapidly knocks down flying insects but has negligible persistence — which is good for the environment but gives poor efficacy when applied in the field." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethroid

Given that, I think I'd be tempted to just water the area really really well. Just flood it (as long as the water isn't going to run into a stream or pond). Think of a good soaking rain, where you get an inch or two of water. The stuff breaks down pretty fast, in spite of what the advertising says. Once it dries, mow the grass, just to be safe. Your chickens should be fine.