Help! Fire Ant invasion!

[Painted Calls]

Gosh that's a horrible sight. Boiling water maybe?

 

[JulieBeth07]

Well... update....

I used the vinegar/water (mostly vinegar and super hot water) and dowsed the inside of the coop and run for the jerks I could ()... I also closed everything off and I used the orthene in the run. I left the run closed today and the coop open. I did see ants in the coop this morning but they weren't "in" the nesting boxes and I didn't want to screw up the girls' routine entirely. I let them put to free range... and of course it rained again (with my coop door open, yay) while I was gone. Let me tell you how thrilled my girls are with me today.

I was going to clean everything out and suck the remaining fire ants out. Well... I tried to disturb where they were in the run a bit and only saw a few of the winged (drones?) But left it closed off. Some of the girls went back in the coop to eat while I was collecting eggs.. I sat to watch them... THERE WERE FIRE ANTS......EVERYWHERE... all in the bedding, climbing up the walls. EVERYWHERE I feel like I'm exaggerating when I say millions... but millions...of fire ants.

My husband went out and pulled all of the bedding and flooring (linoleum) and threw a layer of DE down. We're about to go out and attempt to put it back together so they can go to bed tonight.

So... maybe we're partially to a fix?

 

[JulieBeth07]

Some of my girls showing their best side today

 

[deidreg]

Oh my goodness! I can't begin to imagine the hell you're enduring. I wish I knew how to help, though it seems you have a start.

 

[esme13]

I’m not sure , but I figure it is with mentioning, just not sure with ants and their exoskeleton. Can you spray them with dawn liquid soap mixed in water? Dawn soap kills stink bugs by me and they have a hard shell. Also I’m wondering if you could use 7 dust? That stuff is a very strong insect killer.

 

[JulieBeth07]

Oh it's a fiery place alright I'm just hoping it gets better by the day. I feel helpless... but we're trying!

 

[JulieBeth07]

I’m not sure , but I figure it is with mentioning, just not sure with ants and their exoskeleton. Can you spray them with dawn liquid soap mixed in water? Dawn soap kills stink bugs by me and they have a hard shell. Also I’m wondering if you could use 7 dust? That stuff is a very strong insect killer.

Didn't think of either of those! May put that in my arsenal for tomorrow. Thank you!

 

[esme13]

Between that and adding even
Durvet Permethrin 10%, that should warrant an unwelcome condition for them. Permethrin works to some level , but is very strong scented. But desperate times it can be helpful too.

 

[JulieBeth07]

Between that and adding even
Durvet Permethrin 10%, that should warrant an unwelcome condition for them. Permethrin works to some level , but is very strong scented. But desperate times it can be helpful too.

I don't care what it smells like... I'm also afraid after I push them out of my chicken coop they'll be heading next door to my duck pen.

Praying and hoping for no rain the next couple of days