Safe Ant Killers for Chickens??

[happybooker1]

Is there any poison for fire ants you can use safely for free-range chickens?? My son found one we think is ok called “Over ‘n Out”. We have Fire Ants n out chickens free range all over the yard.

 

[JPadronMiami]

Is there any poison for fire ants you can use safely for free-range chickens?? My son found one we think is ok called “Over ‘n Out”. We have Fire Ants n out chickens free range all over the yard.

Is there any poison for fire ants you can use safely for free-range chickens?? My son found one we think is ok called “Over ‘n Out”. We have Fire Ants n out chickens free range all over the yard.

Hello, those fire ants certainly are a nuisance, i use this product on the hens and around the perimeters of the runs and coup, safe for the hens, and other pets on the grounds (in my experience) best to use on a calm day (not windy) at home we dust the parakeet cages, Parrot cages, around the house outside near a door or entry where insects can get under, hope this helps, and good luck with your flock.

***incidentally, you can pick this up at a Tractor Supply or local feed store

 

[Debbie292d]

We sprinkle diatomaceous earth around our house as we get ants in here on occasion. That takes care of the issue until it rains, then we reapply. We don't have them in our coop for some reason, but use that anyway to keep the mites away.

I'm not sure what kind of ants we have, but there are about three different types, all PIAs.

 

[SourRoses]

Fire ants are a whole different kettle to other ants... they don't go after sugar based baits or react to anything herbal.
I recommend using the big guns poison that specifies fire ants on the label (many don't!) and use fencing around the area to keep the chickens out of it.

Healthy adult chickens are usually safe from fire ants, they avoid them. But I've lost hatching chicks (awfully, as soon as the eggs pipped) and ill chickens who weren't able to move away sufficiently, both in very short time frames. Horrible critters!
I first tried a bunch of natural stuff that just didn't work.

The chickens do like to feast when the ants move their eggs to the surface before rains, but they quickly skedaddle from the adults. For that reason they have a strong interest in the mounds so it's important to block off access for quite a while after using poison.

 

[JPadronMiami]

I used to use the DE exclusively, however at the recommendation of another seasoned enthusiast in the forum I started using the poultry dust instead and found the dust works almost on contact compared to the slower acting DE, specially if you have a serious outbreak of lice, or mites, or when you have to get rid of insects quickly.......fire ants, If I see the mound is too close to the runs or coop i will use the powder, it kills them, I tried pouring "hot" water in the mounds , it just works to move the colony elsewhere on the property, hopefully farther!

 

[Loving my girls]

I was a keen user of DE until I saw something die of it

I once found a rat which had eaten rat poison omg that should be made illegal

I do not like rats (example) and totally agree culling is necessary but anything that makes any creature suffer like that for such a long period should be banned.

 

[JPadronMiami]

I was a keen user of DE until I saw something die of it

I once found a rat which had eaten rat poison omg that should be made illegal

I do not like rats (example) and totally agree culling is necessary but anything that makes any creature suffer like that for such a long period should be banned.

I despise rats, however they are part of a food chain, I just dont want them near my hens and horses feed bins !!!! i set traps and rehome them deep in the Everglade's far from the ranch. have cats but they are fat and lazy, the Terriers do a better job at keeping the numbers down in the barn and area

 

[fowltemptress]

After a rain fire ants will build up their mounds in order to dry off, bringing eggs and queens closer to the surface. Boil a bunch of water (I'd have several huge pots going at once for this when I lived in Texas) and visit the mounds, pouring a whole pot of boiling water on each. I'd often pour several pots worth of boiling water on the largest mounds. Make sure it's a steady pour and not a dump, so the water stays in the mound area and doesn't splash and burn you.

Since moving north of Texas I haven't seen fire ants, and when people up here complain about the ants that do exist here I have a hard time not laughing at them. You don't know ant troubles until you've experienced fire ants.

 

[JPadronMiami]

After a rain fire ants will build up their mounds in order to dry off, bringing eggs and queens closer to the surface. Boil a bunch of water (I'd have several huge pots going at once for this when I lived in Texas) and visit the mounds, pouring a whole pot of boiling water on each. I'd often pour several pots worth of boiling water on the largest mounds. Make sure it's a steady pour and not a dump, so the water stays in the mound area and doesn't splash and burn you.

Since moving north of Texas I haven't seen fire ants, and when people up here complain about the ants that do exist here I have a hard time not laughing at them. You don't know ant troubles until you've experienced fire ants.

So True, a few of my grand kids are highly allergic to their bite, I worry when they are out playing and getting into stuff (as children do)