Sugar Ants In brooder

[Able]

I have an open ended garage which I have my brooder in. I have a chick with a little case of pasty butt and notice a few sugar ants crawling around. I picked the chick up and knocked all the ants anyway. Cleaned away the rest of the pasty butt to try and prevent them from going back to her while she slept. Any safe way to rid the sugar ants? I can see their small trail.

 

[PorchChickens]

Is the brooder up on a table or on the floor?

 

[Able]

Its in an Old Chemical Tank cut in half, of course has been cleaned and have used it for years now

EDIT: Quick question about the pasty but as well, I have the vent completely clear and check it ever couple of hours if I can. Seems to be just one solid ball dangling now. Probably about the size of a pencil lead that I can't seem to break apart. Could I possible just snap it off with a small pair a scissors?

 

[PorchChickens]

Slather some dish soap on whatever parts of the tank thing are touching the floor. I had to do this when I had a snake and didn't want to use bug spray or bait. Make it thick so it gets sticky when it dries.
If you want a dry solution, borax around the perimeter will deter most bugs and not bother the chicks.

As for the poop, I'm less experienced than a lot of people here, but I did have one messy chick. I just kind of rolled the dangly part between my fingers until it came off, lol. I'm hesitant to use scissors near a flappy, squirmy thing.

 

[Able]

Thanks for the tip! I found some outside trim insect spray, like the one you spray around your house to keep insects out, and just trimed my garage with it. Seems to working pretty well.

The only reason I don't want to rub it the poo ball is its taking so long to break apart and don't want to stress the chick for that long

 

[PorchChickens]

Can you moisten it a bit with warm water? It might slip off.
yuck