Ants in the incubator!

[bennjenny]

I just set our eggs today, and when I came home I had hundreds of ants building a nest in two places in the incubator! I wasn't sure if this would harm the eggs, so I cleaned them all out. I cannot find the source of the ants, so I am sure they will be back.

Will these pesky little creatures hurt my soon to be first flock?

 

[PQ]

Sounds like you may have needed to clean it anyway, ants only come when food or sticky is around. With cleaner bator they shouldnt bother it again. Good luck on your hatch! And Welcome!

 

[bennjenny]

Quote:
I thought the heat and water in the bator might be looking like a nice place for them to set up camp...I cleaned it out really well before I put the eggs in. My Mom gave it to us after it had been stored in her barn for a couple of years, so it was really dirty....

If they do come back, do I need to worry about them?

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

You should put a little DE surrounding the incubator. Anywhere where they could climb up onto the incubator, it will kill them. I don't think you could use it inside, it isn't effective when wet and it may absorb some of your humidity.

 

[MissPrissy]

Whatever surface you have the incubator sitting on - move the incubator - and clean it with the yellow Lysol 4 in 1 spray cleaner. It removes the smell trail and will help keep them away. Also it is a cell licer and will kill the little black ants on contact.

What did you clean the incubator with? Hot soapy water and bleach is best on short notice.