Fire ants count as pests to me.

[horsesnchkns]

So, I'm So confused.

I have a coop and a 50ft by 50 ft "yard" that my chickens have. I have fire ants, but all over the ground out there, not just mounds. (I'm sure there are mounds) - but my chickens stand around and end up with ants on their feet, and they are apparently getting stung because I see them picking at the ants at their feet (but not picking at the ants on the ground) - so.. I need to do the whole ground, Inside the yard.

I have used diatemacious (sp?) Earth... and it did NOTHING for the ants. I've used Ortho granules around the outside perimeter of the yard. Didn't get rid of the ants.

It's VERY hot down here, so while I could treat the yard and keep the chickens in the coop for a few days, I worry they'd get too hot... not that outside the coop is much cooler, but at least they get more air.. I know Amdro works... But... don't want to kill my chickens in the process. (already lost 6 to a stupid raccoon, which I have since taken care of) -

So many different opinions and ideas here... The label on the Amdro bait granules says not to use in yards with poultry... so, that kind of answers that question, doesn't it?

could I put Amdro out in the yard, keep the chickens in the coop for 3 or 4 days (frozen watermelon and a fan) and then, you think it would be safe to let them out after a few days?

 

[Jessica Lynn]

Has anyone tried using white sugar on fire ant mounds? My FIL swears by it! He claims that you can put a spoonful of plain white sugar on the mound and it gets rid of the fire ants, I'm not so sure!

 

[junecleavage]

could I put Amdro out in the yard, keep the chickens in the coop for 3 or 4 days (frozen watermelon and a fan) and then, you think it would be safe to let them out after a few days?

I have never treated for fire ants where my chickens could get it, but I do warn about any kind of chemical treatment. My father-in-law was chick sitting for us (they were just too tiny for me to comfortably leave for a weekend) and he let our little ones roam his yard in a little chicken play pen much like we did at our house. He had used a broadcast treatment on his yard two to three weeks prior (and we had a TON of rain). Only 5 of my 18 chicks made it through their visit.

 

[TeaChick]

So, I'm So confused.

I have a coop and a 50ft by 50 ft "yard" that my chickens have. I have fire ants, but all over the ground out there, not just mounds. (I'm sure there are mounds) - but my chickens stand around and end up with ants on their feet, and they are apparently getting stung because I see them picking at the ants at their feet (but not picking at the ants on the ground) - so.. I need to do the whole ground, Inside the yard.

I have used diatemacious (sp?) Earth... and it did NOTHING for the ants. I've used Ortho granules around the outside perimeter of the yard. Didn't get rid of the ants.

It's VERY hot down here, so while I could treat the yard and keep the chickens in the coop for a few days, I worry they'd get too hot... not that outside the coop is much cooler, but at least they get more air.. I know Amdro works... But... don't want to kill my chickens in the process. (already lost 6 to a stupid raccoon, which I have since taken care of) -

So many different opinions and ideas here... The label on the Amdro bait granules says not to use in yards with poultry... so, that kind of answers that question, doesn't it?

could I put Amdro out in the yard, keep the chickens in the coop for 3 or 4 days (frozen watermelon and a fan) and then, you think it would be safe to let them out after a few days?

If you can do the frozen watermelon and fan thing in your coop, I would go for it. Treating the fire ants, IMO is more important. I'd have to run an extension cord from the house to the coop and I've done that before, but it was cooler at night, so not as many critters runnin' around at night then.
Glad you got the raccoon taken care of.

I free range, and I have kids. I have to treat my entire yard. We've resolved to a broadcast treatment b/c that works (in conjunction with occasional spot treatments); actually, it makes the spot treatments work. The spot treatments alone just chase them around the yard; they don't even diminish the size of the mounds! With the broadcast treatment, we're able to use the spot treatments to keep them out of the yard altogether.

 

[TeaChick]

Has anyone tried using white sugar on fire ant mounds? My FIL swears by it! He claims that you can put a spoonful of plain white sugar on the mound and it gets rid of the fire ants, I'm not so sure!

I've never heard of that. Where is your FIL from? My first thought is he's pulling your leg, honestly.

 

[TeaChick]

I have never treated for fire ants where my chickens could get it, but I do warn about any kind of chemical treatment. My father-in-law was chick sitting for us (they were just too tiny for me to comfortably leave for a weekend) and he let our little ones roam his yard in a little chicken play pen much like we did at our house. He had used a broadcast treatment on his yard two to three weeks prior (and we had a TON of rain). Only 5 of my 18 chicks made it through their visit.

WOW!!! We just bought Over & Out to broadcast in our yard. I just read you reply to my husband, so we're going to discuss this when he gets done with what(ever) he's doing. Ours are about 5 mos; I wonder if size/age makes a difference; and we free range them, so I wonder if that might make a difference too???

 

[junecleavage]

TeaChick,

I'm not sure what my father-in-law used. He can't remember what he treated with either. It made me leery of any kind of treatment, though. Mine were very young, too young to free range yet. They just got yard time in the chicken playpen. The five that survived are doing fabulous so I'm not sure what the difference was. Just read the labels and make sure they are safe. Everyone else seems not to have a problem.

 

[davemonkey]

So, I'm So confused.

I have a coop and a 50ft by 50 ft "yard" that my chickens have. I have fire ants, but all over the ground out there, not just mounds. (I'm sure there are mounds) - but my chickens stand around and end up with ants on their feet, and they are apparently getting stung because I see them picking at the ants at their feet (but not picking at the ants on the ground) - so.. I need to do the whole ground, Inside the yard.

I have used diatemacious (sp?) Earth... and it did NOTHING for the ants. I've used Ortho granules around the outside perimeter of the yard. Didn't get rid of the ants.

It's VERY hot down here, so while I could treat the yard and keep the chickens in the coop for a few days, I worry they'd get too hot... not that outside the coop is much cooler, but at least they get more air.. I know Amdro works... But... don't want to kill my chickens in the process. (already lost 6 to a stupid raccoon, which I have since taken care of) -

So many different opinions and ideas here... The label on the Amdro bait granules says not to use in yards with poultry... so, that kind of answers that question, doesn't it?

could I put Amdro out in the yard, keep the chickens in the coop for 3 or 4 days (frozen watermelon and a fan) and then, you think it would be safe to let them out after a few days?

Always check the label, but also see if there is an information resource listed on the product label. Most times it will say something like, "for more information..." and give number or a website. Some chemicals will have a short half-life and will sepcify that animals can be returned to the area after so many hours/days/etc... And some chemicals may go into even more details...like dogs can be returned after so many days, area should be safe for fish after so many weeks, etc... In teh end, it boils down to the active ingredient and how long it persists...and whether it is harmful to poultry.

 

[Jessica Lynn]

I've never heard of that. Where is your FIL from? My first thought is he's pulling your leg, honestly.

He's a born and bred Texan. I did a google search for it and found a couple of hits for the Gardenweb. People on there said it works! There were also some posts about mixing orange oil with molasses and using that. I may have to do an experiment on a few mounds in the front yard!

Here's one of the quotes from there (can't post a link because it takes you to another forum).
"A few years back, my son did his science project on ways to kill fire ants.
He had ants from the same mound seperated into jars, under the exact same conditions.
He used grits, DE, white sugar, corn meal, and nothing.
The ants that died first were in the plain white sugar jar.
Three out of three trials!
Nope, I haven't tried it in the yard, but it was interesting!
I can vouch for the Green Light product with Spinosad - it worked great in the Houston area."

 

[davemonkey]

Very interesting. I wonder if the sugar was what did them in, or if it was the enclosed conditions (I am assuming the jars were sealed). IF conditions were just so, the sugar may have become food to certain bacteria of fungi and begun to ferment...yielding alcohol and CO2...both of which would have killed insects in enclosed conditions. (Pure assumption on my part of coarse...I'd love to try this in the yard, though.)