Ants, will they eat them?

[Gazinga]

My coop is near a colony of back ants, wil the chickens eat them, and if not will the ants bother the chickens? and if so, does anyone know of a good organic way to get rid of the ants because i dont want to use any poison near the coop.

 

[Daisymay]

My hens only seem to eat big juicey carpenter ants. Others might know of an organic product out there. We usually desturb ant hills till they up and move off. In the cool of the day after a good rain, pour a kettle of boiling water all over the mound. Its supposed to kill the queen as the whole colony is digging out the rain washed tunnel. Don't know if its true but its worked for us in the Spring. Ya know back when we were getting rain here in Texas.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

My Delightful Dozen dispose of any ants they can get around here, good luck.

 

[LynneP]

You can fill a nest with diatomacsous earth (DE) so long as it is food grade- and it's safe around chickens. Many of us use it in the bedding anyway or to supplement dust/sand baths. It also has use as a wormer as it often an ingredient in poultry feed and grain stored for human consumption.

 

[kees]

I wish that my chickens would eat ants and flies but they don't.

 

[Gazinga]

flys are no trouble! My girls are only 4 weks old and already they jump and run after flys! go girls go!

 

[chickorama]

Our hens are not very choosy, and when a colony of ants took over part of the yard, they couldn't stop eating them! In terms of eating they'll probably be fine, as long as they aren't stinging ants. However, if you have a wooden house to protect them from predators, the ants might infest that. I'd be careful around wood.

 

[OHMYCHICKIES]

once mine found out there is better stuff out there, they ignore the ants now