Pastured poultry and fire ants

[WhoDatChick]

Unfortunately, chickens don't eat fire ants, but they love other ants. My backyard is inundated with fire ants that just keep moving around. I am currently using DE, but will look at the chicken dust when I go to Tractor supply. I'm in FL where fire ants have taken over.

Did you find a solution? I am desperate! It doesn’t seem that the fire ants have mounds… looks as though they are just living inside the run… like that is their mound
There are millions of them and if I throw table scraps the chickens can’t even eat them because the amount of ants on the food!

 

[JenniMcChick]

Did you find a solution? I am desperate! It doesn’t seem that the fire ants have mounds… looks as though they are just living inside the run… like that is their mound
There are millions of them and if I throw table scraps the chickens can’t even eat them because the amount of ants on the food!

I had some poultry dust already, so I sprinkled that in one of my pots where the ants were killing my marigolds. I also sprinkled some around perimeter of the coop. Ran out before all of it got done, but figured I'd at least test with what I had and go from there.
I moved the plant around today & didn't see any ants swarming in there like I had the previous days.
So I bought the only remaining canister of Poultry Dust they had when I went to TSC today.

Knowing that wasn't going to get me too far, I also went looking for some orange oil concentrate. Found some at Sutherland's & it looks like HEB also carries it, although I'd already bought it before doing my grocery shopping.

Came here to find the recommended ratios for the mixture & am headed out to our backyard to go apply it in the run as the chickens are free-ranging rn.

I will then apply it outside the run after they are locked up this evening, or early tomorrow & will allow it to dry before letting them out.

I'll let you know how it does! Say a prayer, please!! I, too, am at my wits end!

 

[atomic]

I pour boiling water on the mounds.

 

[WhoDatChick]

I had some poultry dust already, so I sprinkled that in one of my pots where the ants were killing my marigolds. I also sprinkled some around perimeter of the coop. Ran out before all of it got done, but figured I'd at least test with what I had and go from there.
I moved the plant around today & didn't see any ants swarming in there like I had the previous days.
So I bought the only remaining canister of Poultry Dust they had when I went to TSC today.

Knowing that wasn't going to get me too far, I also went looking for some orange oil concentrate. Found some at Sutherland's & it looks like HEB also carries it, although I'd already bought it before doing my grocery shopping.

Came here to find the recommended ratios for the mixture & am headed out to our backyard to go apply it in the run as the chickens are free-ranging rn.

I will then apply it outside the run after they are locked up this evening, or early tomorrow & will allow it to dry before letting them out.

I'll let you know how it does! Say a prayer, please!! I, too, am at my wits end!

I need to order more dust… I have been spraying them where ever I see a bunch together with the poultry spray and that seems to kill them right away…. thank you.. I will try the dust too!

 

[Buckeye Amy]

It's been a couple months, how is it going? I just read this article tonight and thought it was very helpful in figuring out what to do about fire ants, and the new invasive 'Frankenstein' hybrids that are now found in all states, which captured my attention because we don't have fire ants in NW Ohio. The article provides a link to how to manage infestations. The ingredient to look for is hydramethylnon. It will be carried back to the nest by the workers where other ants will eat it and die. The trick is to kill the queen, or queens in the case of the hybrid ants. Fire won't reach deep enough to accomplish this, so the bait is the most effective method for removing an entire colony.

Warning issued for an invasive 'Frankenstein' hybrid insect that harms plants and humans

Information on Hydramethylnon, its toxicity, and products that have it as their main ingredient: Hydramethylnon