Ants killing chicks:(

[PrestonSloan08]

I have lost 4 chicks this week because the ants have got them!! I dont know what to do!!! All I have is 1 chick left now!! And I'm scared it will get eaten too!! Has this ever happened to anyone else? And what can I do?

 

[shanshan51]

I too have heard this and am worried as I have chicks hatching this week. Any suggestions out there?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Are you sure the ants are killing them or are they finding them after the chick has been killed/died?



I use a product called Amdro whenever I see a fire ant nest near the coop or even in the horse pastures (I had a horse sleep on a mound and get all chewed up - yes she is a heavy sleeper

). I am guessing and I should ask - are these fire ants killing the chicks?


Are these new hatch chicks or chicks walking around?


Back to the Amdro - I pour it on a mound, it is little yellow/orange crystals and then cover the mound with a bucket or cage - something to keep birds/critters away from the Amdro and let the ants take it into the mound. They feed the queen and the nest dies within days.


If I had the ants coming into the coop and getting new hatches - I would move the new hatches and broodies out of the coop first. The lay some amdro down in such a way so the other birds could not get it and let the ants take it back to the nest.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

My chicks hatched 10days ago. On the hatch day one little one had 2 red ants on each eye when I found it. I kinda rescued them. It seems the ants came in for the egg shells with bits of ick on them. I moved the nest and cleaned out that nest box and they didnt come back. It took 3 days for the resuced baby to get well and then day before yesterday it squeezed out a hole in the run fence the birds had excavated and I think my dog got it. Dang it.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Fire ants can be sure death for newly hatched chicks which is why the Bobwhite Quail is so seldom found in my area any more. Definitely treat for them in the broody area.

 

[saladin]

A.T. Hagan :

Fire ants can be sure death for newly hatched chicks which is why the Bobwhite Quail is so seldom found in my area any more. Definitely treat for them in the broody area.

Fireants are the reason I brood all my own chicks and don't let the hens do it. If I do let hens set the eggs then I dust the eggs with Sevin and spray Malathion all around the outside of the pen.

Fireants are a terror. Yes, the ants were killing the chicks and not just on them after they died!​

 

[Momma on a Mission]

That's sooo sad.

 

[MyLifeInAnEggshell]

I just had this problem yesterday I noticed them all over so I cleaned coop all out today then laid down a layer of DE put new straw over that and then put DE all around the outside of the coop and I saw no ant in the coop today! I saw them in the yard but to were close to my girls!

Hope this helps I don't know if the DE worked or it was just a fluke but I was happy with the results!

 

[saladin]

Folks that live in sections of the US and all of Canada, who have no experience with Fireants cannot begin to imagine the havoc these little nasties can/do cause.

When Fireants invade new territory the first thing they do is kill all/most of the other ants.

In a flood we had a couple of years back I was on the river with the DNR agent. We saw this 'ball' floating down the river and went in the boat to get it out. As we got closer we noticed the 'ball' was ALIVE. It was actuall a 'ball' of Fireants continually moving on one-another so that as some were below the water others were above the water. There must have been close to a million or more ants in that one 'ball.' (Think the size of a basketball).
Fireants are smart. They are survivors. They a wickedly mean. I've seen folks get bitten and need an Epi-pen within a couple of minutes!

They not only kill chicks, but if a large chicken gets sick and down they will literally eat that chicken alive.

Don't mean to sound negative but the DE/no ants was a fluke.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

We have fire ants here. We also have Terminex regular service. Every time the Terminex guy comes out he sprays the red ant nest. And every time it reappears.
Didn't know that ants could kill chickens - I'm a newbie - so thanks for sharing. And I'm really sorry this is happening -