ANTS!!

[JaciesCoop]

Somebody probably has already ask this but how do you get rid of ants in a run without harming the chicks?
Thanks in advance
Jacie

 

[justusnak]

are we talking regular ants or fire ants? There was a post on here once, about fire ants.....someone suggested useing uncooked grits on the hills. The ants eat the grits, and well.....die! Guess this might work with any ants?? Might be worth a try.

 

[JaciesCoop]

Hi Deb. These are the little tiny (excuse the expression) piss ants! That's what we always called them. So far we have kept the fire ants at bay from the run.
I never heard of the grits thing. Sound like it would be too big for them to eat.
Jacie

 

[chickiepoo]

What supposedly happens when the fire ants eat the grits is that when they drink water the grits swell up and kill the ant. I don't know whether it works or not.
As to the piss ants (we also call them sugar ants), what kind of harm do they do?

 

[Chelly]

I use DE - they dont' like it AT ALL... if any get it on them they'll die, and the others stay away!

I placed my little tractor for my chicks ontop of a nest of carpenter ants, the girls eat the ants no problem, but I was worried when the little girls took a nap or something and didnt' want ants chomping on them, so I puffed some DE all around and the ants MOVED.

 

[JaciesCoop]

What is DE?

I'm afraid the ants will bite them when they are quiet. They are only 3 weeks old and don't seem interested in eating the ants at all.

Thanks for the reply's

Oh and sugar ants sounds much better! LOL!

Jacie

 

[GoodEgg]

DE is Diatomaceous Earth ... there have been a ton of posts on it lately.

If you use it around the chickens, you want food grade. Custom milling is the cheapest for ordering right now, I think, if you can't get it locally.

Here's a site someone just gave when asking for info (I just read it in the post)

If you search for posts here at byc, you'll find plenty to read.

I just started using it myself, and not on chickens yet, just a kitten for fleas, but it has done WONDERS for him.

Edited to add: I'm surprised your chickens don't eat them? I actually used my chicks when they were 2-4 weeks old to "clean up" ant invasions in the house, when it was on a hard floor. Had to scrub the floor afterwards, but they ate up all the ants! If they ever try them, they'll probably keep eating them!

trish

 

[JaciesCoop]

thank you Good egg. We use Diatomaceous Earth around the place. I just didn't realize the abbrev.
I think our feed store has the right kind.
Thanks for the help.
Maybe the little ones will soon learn what they're missing and start chomping down on them.
Thanks again

 

[GoodEgg]

You're welcome

(I love your art, btw, I was going to post that on another thread but the computer went offline as I was doing it.)

trish

 

[JaciesCoop]

Thanks Trish; I love doing the digital art and of course my egg art (see web site). It keeps my mind active!

Jacie