|
Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 16, 2012 21:17:46 GMT -6
Last night I noticed some ants on the table I have my incubators on. It's that time of year and the little buggars found my eggs. Well anyway, after I scooted over one of the bators a bunch of ants scattered. So of course I had to look some more and I found a "nest" of ants and eggs on the underside of one of my LG's right in the middle where it has rectangular area that was perfect for them to take up house keeping. I washed the bottom of the bator and killed all the ants "with a vengance" but what i'd like to know is can the ants hurt the embryos? I've had a few quail hatch and they don't look very healthy. I culled one this evening. Could it have been the ants that caused a problem. Brought in a virus or some bacteria maybe?
|
|
|
Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 18, 2012 21:34:12 GMT -6
There have been a few more hatch and they had to be culled. I got only 1 good chick. I'm hoping the next batch goes better.
|
|
|
Post by Timbo on Apr 19, 2012 3:24:59 GMT -6
i haven't a clue. i wouldn't think the ants would hurt the egg but never had that problem so can confirm. Hope your hatching gets better results
|
|
|
Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 19, 2012 10:11:10 GMT -6
I hope it gets better too or my quail sales are going to be really bad this year
|
|
|
Post by ellisfarms on Apr 20, 2012 0:53:11 GMT -6
Put a pan of sugar water out to draw them out of your bator than get rid of them that the best I can think of
Sent from my C771 using ProBoards
|
|
|
Post by rinksgi on Apr 20, 2012 20:42:26 GMT -6
Wow, I don't know, but it's kind of odd that your chicks are notdoing well.
|
|
|
Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 21, 2012 21:33:34 GMT -6
So far i've gotten 4 chicks from about 40 eggs, 2 different hatch dates. I did take care of the ant problem but the damage is still there. I didn't notice ants on the eggs but I wasn't looking for it either since I didn't even know the little buggars where setting up house keeping. I've got another batch due at the end of the month and i'm going to sanatize the bator before I set anymore. Hopefully that will work. If we weren't so busy all the time I would have the cabinet done long ago.
Can't seem to find the time to work on it now that we've gotten started on it.
|
|
|
Post by Timbo on Apr 22, 2012 2:20:17 GMT -6
hopefully a good bleaching will do the job
|
|
|
Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Apr 22, 2012 9:34:50 GMT -6
I put them in the shower and spray them down with a water and bleach mixture and let them set about 10 minutes then hose them out and wash with Dawn, rinse and then spray again with the bleach water. Let set again, spray off and let dry. If that don't do it nothing will.
|
|