termite damage

[lambeke1]

I am building my new coop with some recycled wood and some of it has a little termite damage. I don't see any active termiites but would still like to treat for them. My chicks won't be in it for 2-3 wks. My question is, is there a safe insecticide to use that will kill the termites and not harm my chicks?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://ezinearticles.com/?Various-Organic-Termite-Treatments-to-Use&id=3836812
this article mentions orange guard
I have no experience with orange guard

http://www.orangeguard.com/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...ens.com/forum/search.php?action=show_24h#1107
here is a BYC search for orange guard

 

[bakerjw]

Were they subterranean termites? They require a lot of moisture and if the wood will not be making contact with the ground then you should be ok. You can paint the wood with a boric acid and borax solution. That will keep the termites out and isn't a hazardous pesticide. I paint all new construction wood that way.

I buy my boric acid from Veatch chemical. I use it to dust behind cabinets for insects.

 

[lambeke1]

Thanks for the info. I really like the organic stuff. That's the reason I decided to get my own chickens and the next step is to plant my own garden. I hope to be able to do a fall garden but will have one next year for sure. I read an article about white washing with lime. I'll look into the boric acid idea. Is it clear when painted on? I'm putting cypress boards on the outside and I'd rather not color it like white washing.

 

[zookeeper15133]

I have read that boric acid and borax sprayed on to newspaper makes it fire resistant and bug proof. They use it for insulation.

So fire resistance is another plus!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
My mom and I were wondering about this a few weeks ago- is the Borax you buy in the laundry detergent section what you can use for this application (against ants)?

 

[zookeeper15133]

Quote:
My mom and I were wondering about this a few weeks ago- is the Borax you buy in the laundry detergent section what you can use for this application (against ants)?

Yes, boraxo is the borax you use for this, but you have to use the boric acid too.

 

[bakerjw]

Where I got this from was one of the termite preventative treatments for wood. The ingredients were Borax, Boric acid, and Glycol. Glycol thickens the mixture to make it adhere more readily to wood. I use a sprayer with a few drops of liquid soap to break the surface tension of the water. Don't worry about treating the outside of the boards. Subterranean termites shun the light and dry conditions.

It dries slightly white with crystals visible. I have done battle with termites before and knowing your enemy is the key. If you can readily observe their potential access points to your structures then you can keep them at bay without any major chemical usage by doing regular inspections. Look for mud trails.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
My mom and I were wondering about this a few weeks ago- is the Borax you buy in the laundry detergent section what you can use for this application (against ants)?

Yes, boraxo is the borax you use for this, but you have to use the boric acid too.

TY

 

[greenSearcher]

Quote:
Budget for a fence to surround the garden. I have 4' chicken wire around my herb garden, supported by 3 ft poles. That leaves the top edge floppy and unstable, so far they have not tried to land on it in an effort get in the herb garden. Plan on tacking the edge down, especially if you use electric fencing instead. My girls lift the fence up with their beak and slip under. I don't power it up as the fence has proved enough until the Golda(s), that are escape masters.