Ants in the coop area and Run area....

[DragunzGirl]

Ok We built a chicken coop and run a month ago, and well Got 4 hens and well they are doing great. Well last week we started seeing ants, and well it got worse, there is ants every where now. We got to do something... I dont have bedding on the run floor, its just dirt and some grass that is left till the hens eat it lol. any way I was told to put cornmeal all in there, is this safe? also is there any thing else I can do in the run and coop area that will kill the ants but wont hurt my girls? We hung the water and food bowl up but the water bowl is back down ontop of a water warmer cuase a few times the water froze.

 

[operationindigo]

I have a similar problem! Are they red ants? Mine are the fire type. The chickens don't seem to even notice that they're there - which hopefully means they're being left alone. I got bit a few times I think while trying to scoop them all out of the coop, but I scooped out whatever I could find. There were no ants that I saw this morning, then around 5pm there were swarms of them. Hopefully people have some good knowledge about how to get rid of these ants!

 

[chfite]

What kind of ants?

Generally, destroying the anthill is the first step to eliminating the ants.

Chris

 

[realsis]

I had the same problem!! I'll be following this thread for a solution. I even had to move my hen house up farther off the ground because they were attacking my girls while they slept. I came out in the morning to let them out and one of my girls was covered in red Ants! I also hung the food and water. Its a huge problem for me and I'm at a loss on what to do because I don't want to have pesticides around the girls!!

 

[zazouse]

I only have outdoor ground brooders because my flocks are totally free ranged but i use 7 dust in them when i see ants and it works great and i have never lost a baby to ants or the 7 dust.

My brooders are prone to red ants after a good rain as they are seeking higher and dryer ground.