Texas

[KrisH]

I'm sad to report that the DE isn't working on my cutter ants. I have had DE in the sand floor of the coop all along and sprinkling it around the outside of the coop only caused a momentary hiccup in their diligence. I had shut down two of their large tunnel opening with 10% Sevin. Now they are opening up new openings inside the pen. I don't let the chicks outside of coop yet, into the pen, because of their young age. If I use the 10% Sevin around the base of the coop, that's sand that they'll eventually be running around in. I don't know if it would be safe to use that strength so close. Comments, anyone?

It's also possible that they could just outfox me and open up holes inside the chicken coop since the DE doesn't affect them, completely circumventing the Sevin-ed pen. Does anyone have any more advice? I'm willing to try as this is getting out of hand and I'm just subsidizing the ants. They're not getting to the food dispenser but to the food that the chicks spill. Sure didn't know that the cutter ants could use chicken feed to grow mushrooms. And I always thought the chickens would eat the ants. *sigh*

I had read to use no more than 5% seven dust. here is the link..

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart

We also use DE, but found that a heavy dusting and not a light dusting works better.

RobertH

 

[KnobbyOaks]

We have a pest control guy and I pointed those out to him when we first hired him. He followed the trail and found where they started coming up onto the fence (5 or 6 feet from where the run starts) and set out an ant bait station. That's been about three months ago and I haven't seen any since.

Thanks, I may have to resort to a pest control guy too. I do see now in the State's current information on cutter ants that there is a bait called Amdro Block that can be used. Interested to see how that might work since they don't eat the bait or food they take down to the queen and colony.

 

[KnobbyOaks]

I had read to use no more than 5% seven dust. here is the link..

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart

We also use DE, but found that a heavy dusting and not a light dusting works better.

RobertH

Thank you, I too seem to remember back in the day when I used Sevin on dogs for fleas that 5% was the most you could use. I love that website you linked to. That answers a whole lot of questions for a new chicken person.

 

[KrisH]

Thank you, I too seem to remember back in the day when I used Sevin on dogs for fleas that 5% was the most you could use. I love that website you linked to. That answers a whole lot of questions for a new chicken person.

I keep it in my favorites and have also printed it out for emergencies. Lot's of good info there.

RobertH

 

[abrameit]

Well I'm new to this and lost chickens this summer to racoons. And every egg to snakes. Finally think we predator proofed our coups. Killed 13 raccoons this summer and 11 rat snakes, some over 6 feet! Anyway I'm the goof who spent $70 to learn our favorite chicken was molting, so now I am trying to connect with people with more knowledge so I don't make similar mistakes.

Thanks,

Ann

 

[abrameit]

Just wanting to connect with a few folks so I can run my newbie questions by them. Thanks, Ann

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Abrameit, even though you're newer at BYC than I am, I'm newer at chickens than you so I won't be much help for a long while. However, you've come to the right place. Welcome.

Sorry about your loss of chickens and eggs. Sometimes the lessons we learn the hardest are the ones we learn the best.

 

[chickletteSarge]

Just wanting to connect with a few folks so I can run my newbie questions by them.  Thanks, Ann

Have you tried the old timers thread? Over a metric crap ton of info!

 

[Nomibear]

I love the oldtimers thread! Best way is to start at the beginning, and work your way current. Earns you some of their respect, and you learn a TON of stuff along the way!

 

[KnobbyOaks]

Could someone post a link to the Old Timers' Thread? I found a link to a thread called the Old Timers Part 2 with only 7 posts and they refer to the fact that the original thread was deleted by the moderators and that valuable information was lost. Is that it? Or was there another?