Can ants wipe out a whole flock?

[Grits&Eggs]

my chickens will eat ants, are you saying they are toxic? I had some building a home under a log in the run and when I flipped the log the hens went crazy for them, I didn't try and stop them....ugh

 

[Fishkeeper]

Ants have formic acid in them, which is why their bites hurt. It's not a problem in the stomach, because the stomach is already acidic, but it can be a problem when in the blood and the rest of the body. Some species of ants, including the invasive kind all over the US (people call them 'fire ants', the front half is red and the back half is black, they build ant hills) can kill something smallish if enough of them bite it. The invasive ones are really bad for wild quail populations because they kill the babies.

 

[Trux]

some things I have done to kills large ant infestations
Terro, it is a borax based liquid and works well
Baking soda and powdered sugar mix 50/50...works if you find the ant hiway, just pour it along the path and around the hill entrance. they cant tell the difference between the powdered sugar and the baking soda, they haul the baking soda down to the nest and when they eat it, it kills them...they pop
LAST RESORT
find the nest entrance, dribble gas down the hole, let i soak in some then light it on fire
DO NOT do this around buildings or dry vegetation!!!!!!!! Only in an open area and clear around the nest entrance before you try it!

 

[Eggscaping]

Our hummingbird feeder has little moats where the ants would crawl down the hanger into the sugar water. You fill the moat with water and when the ants get to that, they can't cross the water. Would it work to put the legs of your coop in buckets or something and fill with water? I know it's worked for us, but of course a coop or run is a lot larger than a hanging hummingbird feeder.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Kind of extreme, but you can pore molten aluminum down a fire ant hole. Besides dead ants you get something pretty neat.

 

[Trux]

Kind of extreme, but you can pore molten aluminum down a fire ant hole. Besides dead ants you get something pretty neat.

What more could you ask for?? Dead ants and a conversation piece

 

[Tortoise]

If you use DE it should be the food grade. Not sure how it could hurt chickens as humans can and do mix with water and drinks it.

 

[Redhead Rae]

We like mixing borax into honey and putting it lids under pieces of furniture and on counter tops where pets and kids can't get them. If you put it in a box with a few small holes, that will keep it away from the chickens but available for the ants.

 

[Redhead Rae]

If you use DE it should be the food grade. Not sure how it could hurt chickens as humans can and do mix with water and drinks it.

It hurts if you breathe it in.

 

[Tortoise]

I couldn't find info on it hurting to breath but it can make humans cough. Also can irritate skin and eyes. However this seems to be by the dust of it. Its suggested to be careful when applying and to let dust settle. Also that it is not harmful to birds and chickens were suggested as one of the birds
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html#symptoms