Giant Red Ants! Help!!!

[maggiemooscluckers]

I live in AZ so the soil is very conducive to ants but this is ridiculous! Went into the coop last night and there were literally thousands of big red ants inside and outside the coop. My three week old chicks were doing their best to eat them but couldn't keep up. I have added DE to the pine shavings but it doesn't seem to phase them. Please help! I know I have to be careful not to poison the chicks by using something harsh but something has to be done!

 

[elmo]

I've been using plain white vinegar on ant mounds in our yard; seems to work on the mound, but they will relocate elsewhere. You can also pour boiling water on the mound, but be careful not to burn yourself.

 

[moondog425]

Seven dust works for me and it wont hurt the chickens.

 

[Dora'smom]

I've used the boiling water idea before. Just carefully pour it down the entrance.

 

[Chicken Delight]

Ants are lost without their sense of smell, that's why vinegar (diluted in water) work and why black pepper, mint, capsaicin (from hot peppers) also work. Citrus oil both confuses and kills the ants. I am guessing that as your chickens get older they may be your ant-control solution as they feast on these guys. I would stay away from anything that would be toxic to your chickens as they are obviously eating them. Take whatever you are using to confuse the ants and spread it around your chickens' area and it should help a lot. I rely on vinegar and mint because I have a bunch of mint which grows like a weed (free) and vinegar is cheap, but has to be applied frequently.

I too have used the boiling water attack and it works well.

 

[deerman]

Ants will not cross a line of oil. Thats how i keep them out of my bee hives. Place each leg of the stand in a can of oil. Old cooking oil will work.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Thanks for all the replies. I already have DE everywhere and today I dug up what seemed to be the main nest. I found lots of winged ants so I dug and put gasoline in the hole. Tonight I poured boiling water down any remaining holes that even remotely looked like an ant hill. Some of them actually had a few ants around the opening. I will go out after dark and see the results. If there are still ants after all that I will get some Sevin dust tomorrow and try that. I will just continue to work at it with all your suggestions until I have eradicate the little buzzards! Nothing worse than going out to visit and tend to the babies and have to contend with such a nightmare!