Fire Ants

[chickiebaby]

Wow.

I guess I have one more thing to be thankful for. I think it's high time us northerners stopped complaining about winter and enjoyed the plagues we DON"T get.

These sound terrifying!

 

[redhen]

Quote:
we do get a "form" of them here....not the same as the nasty down south ones..but still small ones that DO bite and take over the whole yard...i have been fighting them here for a while....wanted to add..when we lived in Florida people used to put grits down the ant hills...and i thought 20 mule team borax also...

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I pull my chicken tractor for a pit stop over their hills and the chickens dig up their burrow and eat them all up.

 

[LynneP]

It sounds as though dumping waste water from the coop near the pop door and other access points will help, though.

 

[cwc362]

Here's a link to an Ehow article about getting rid of them organically. There are several articles when you get there so maybe you can find something that will work for you. Good luck- I hate those &*^%%%$$ fire ants. They got me on my arms once when I was carrying a board and didn't know they were on it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4768505_fire-ants-carpenter-ants-organically.html

 

[fledgling]

Lollipop-

How many guineas do you think we need to control the backyard 2 acres here in Florida? We figure "live, let live" in the cow and horse pastures but we don't want them close to the house.

Thanks!

 

[jessupfamily]

Quote:
Lollipop is right! Guineas will take care of them 100%! We suggest 5-9 guineas per acre. You may loose a couple of guineas to predators over the first couple of years. But that leaves you with plenty for the job. They will also rid you of ticks! We love, love, love guineas!

Blessings,
Amy J.

 

[Godsgrl]

our zoo sprinkles cinnamon around the enclosures of our ed. animals to repel the ants. Good luck!

 

[texaschickmama]

Get yourself a pet anteater..................

.................. No, seriously, get some guineas. I just bought 7 a month or so ago and love them. I keep one in the pen and let the other out. The one in the pen calls to the ones that are out so they don't "runaway". I strongly dislike those little fire ants. How can something so little hurt so bad?

 

[Tala]

Quote:
We have a few fire ants, but we have a bigger problem with carpenter ants (will my chickens eat those?) and carpenter ants will eat your house up and they require water to survive like termites do, so I would be very careful with ants and keeping your house's foundation wet!!! If you use any kind of wood landscaping mulch/chips or have railroad crossties in your yard and you see ants in them - in my experience they are probably carpenter ants.