Fire Ants

[k625]

Thanks spatcher- didnt really know that, no. Thank you for the info though. I dont personally use it on my hens, just heard it around the board. Thanks for the help

 

[BowChickaBowMow]

When we lived in GA, our next door neighbor (80 yr old farmer) told us to use grits (uncooked) right before it was supposed to rain. (I'm sure rice could work this way also, esp. if it's instant rice) anyways.. the ants take the grits and eat them, and feed them to their queen, then it rains and they must drink it? and the grains swell and the ants (queen in particular) explode.

HTH!

 

[opihiman911]

Molassas: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ipm/msg060806505628.html
http://www.nashflix.com/MediaItemView.aspx?id=365

My parents live in Dallas Texas and deal with fire ants. They said the only this that has consistantly worked for them is mixing a bottle of brer rabbit black molassas in 5 gallons of water and flooding the area. Apparently it doesn't kill them but drives them away.
When I lived in Texas as a kid I remember drill deep holes with a drill auger and filling it with gas. Let it soak of 5 minutes and then light it with a big whoomp. Not very environmentaly friendly, and I'm sure it didn't kill them all, but was fun. You definately didn't want to be within 10' of the hill when it went up and fire ant went flying.
Hope this helps.

Cory

 

[pixiechic]

Will chickens eat fire ants? Or is that only regular ants?

 

[firebugfab]

I got 5lbs of food grade DE today. How much do you normally put on say a 6" diameter mound? Tbs maybe?

 

[Meesh]

Just pour boiling water down their hole. ~3 gallons should steam them out. It's extremely safe for dogs, kids, chickens AND it kills the ants. Get them early in the AM before they come out.

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[clay]

Quote:
We had some big, red, biting ants (not fire ants, though) and the chickens LOVE them. They've already eradicated two large nests. It is funny to watch them digging and eating like crazy, with the occasional pause to scratch at their wattles where the ants are futilely biting them.

 

[talos321]

Quote:
Some of my chickens (not all) have a voracious appetite for fire ants. They dig up the entire nest and eat them all.

 

[prariechiken]

Go to the "organic one" website. They have a DE mix esp. for fire ants.