Fire ants invaded my coop!

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Hi, BYCers!

I have a tractor style chicken coop. On the edge fire ants built a foot by foot nest. I didn´t think much of it until it rained last night. And the fire ants thought my coop would be a delightful place to be dry and warm and move their very, VERY large family. I opened the coop and fire ants spill out all over. I lift the poop board and underneath is so many ants I can´t see the wood. So far I poured 3 gallons hot soapy water on them but that didn´t do anything. This has never happened. They need to not be deterred but killed.
How can I do this BYCers without going to TSC? I have shut all the coop doors and entrances because an EE hen went in and was pecking her feet because the ants were all over them. I have many bantams and the fire ants can kill them.

 

[Laura_BelgianBantams_63]

@aart @Eggcessive @LaFleche

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Diatomaceous earth is probably your best bet. All the ant poisons that I know of are toxic to chickens.

 

[sourland]

Try pouring boiling water on them.

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

I will pour boiling water on. And then do DE.

 

[aart]

Get the birds out of there.
Boiling water might help.
DE probably not.
Fire ants are a special problem...I don't know the answer but @Kiki might.

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Get the birds out of there.
Boiling water might help.
DE probably not.
Fire ants are a special problem...I don't know the answer but @Kiki might.
[/QUOTE

They have been out . They have a very, very large run and I will do boiling water. The birds are sleeping on perches in the run tonight. Tomorrow is Rid Of Ants day. I was thinking DE won´t help a lot.

 

[aart]

They have been out . They have a very, very large run and I will do boiling water. The birds are sleeping on perches in the run tonight. Tomorrow is Rid Of Ants day. I was thinking DE won´t help a lot.

Hope someone comes along to tell you what to use.
Can you see their mound or hole in the ground where they live?

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Hope someone comes along to tell you what to use.
Can you see their mound or hole in the ground where they live?

I can see the mound.

 

[Eggcessive]

Permethrin spray or spinosad can help treat fireants on your chickens now, and here is a good article on how to deal with them all the time:
http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/control-fire-ants-your-yard