If your hens are standing in the middle of the run, panting, and refuse to go into the coop at night...
You don’t have a "stubborn" flock.
You have an infestation.
It’s June in Arizona.
The heat is rising. The dust is everywhere.
And for your backyard chicken flock, things are about to get itchy.
Why June is Peak Mite Season
Most people think winter is the hard part for chickens.
In Arizona, they’re wrong.
June is the perfect storm.
High heat. Low humidity. Plenty of dust.
Mites don't just "live" in these conditions. They explode.
A single mite can lay eggs that hatch and become adults in less than a week.
In the 110°F chickens Arizona heat, that cycle moves even faster.
By the time you see one mite, there are thousands hiding in the cracks of your coop.
The Cost of Ignoring the Crawl
Mites aren't just a nuisance. They are vampires.
They spend the night sucking the blood out of your birds.
If you ignore the signs, you lose more than just sleep.
1. Anemia. Your birds become lethargic and weak.
2. Drop in production. Stressed hens don't lay eggs.
3. Death. In the desert heat, a weakened, anemic bird will succumb to heat stroke in hours.
How to Spot the Vampires
Mites are small. Really small.
But they leave a trail.
Here is what you are looking for:
1. The Pale Comb
A healthy hen has a bright, waxy red comb.
If her comb looks pink, dusty, or shriveled, she is losing blood.
2. The "Roost Refusal"
Mites (specifically Red Mites) live in the coop cracks during the day.
They come out at night to feed.
If your birds are suddenly sleeping on top of the coop or in the trees, they are trying to escape the biting.
3. The Paper Towel Test
This is the fastest way to know for sure.
Go out to the coop at night with a flashlight.
Take a white paper towel.
Run it along the underside of the roosting bars and into the corners of the nesting boxes.
If you see red or brown streaks, those are crushed mites full of your chicken's blood.
The 3-Step Arizona Mite Cleanout
If you find them, don't panic.
But you must act fast. In this heat, you don't have a week to "think about it."
Step 1: Strip the Coop
Remove every bit of bedding.
Throw it away. Don't compost it near the coop.
Mites can live in old bedding for weeks without a host.
Step 2: Deep Clean the Cracks
Use a poultry-safe spray (like Permethrin) or a high-pressure hose.
In Arizona, we prefer a dry-down method.
Scrub the roosts. Spray the joints.
Focus on where wood meets wood. That’s the mite's "safe room."
Step 3: Treat the Birds
You have to kill the mites on the host.
Use a poultry-labeled dust or spray.
Focus on the vent (under the tail) and under the wings.
Pro-tip: Do this at night or very early morning.
Handling birds in the 2 PM Arizona sun creates too much heat stress.
The Best Defense: The Arizona Dust Bath
Chickens don't use soap. They use dirt.
A proper dust bath is how a bird "scrubs" parasites off their skin.
But in a block-wall backyard, the "dirt" is often just hard-packed gravel.
You need to build a station.
The Recipe for Success:
- Fine Sand: The base.
- Dry Soil: For texture.
- Wood Ash: High in potassium, naturally abrasive to mites.
- Food Grade DE: Diatomaceous Earth slices through mite shells like glass.
Keep this station in the shade.
If it’s in the sun, the birds won't use it in June.
Don't Let the Heat Win
June is a battle.
Between the predators, the heat, and the parasites, your flock is under fire.
But mites are a "setup" problem.
If you have the right hygiene routine and the right dust bath setup, they don't stand a chance.
Check your roosts tonight.
Run the paper towel.
If you see red, it's time to clean.
See everything we recommend for a thriving, parasite-free Arizona flock at azchickens.com/pages/recommended.
