Thunderstorm Fright Death?

[C Anne]

Good morning,
I am eager to find out if other chicken owners believe that they may have lost a chicken due to fright from a thunderstorm? I live in Oklahoma, and we have had some big ones lately, to say the least. My hen was definitely in the henhouse last night. I have had some issues with predators recently, so I made sure that everyone was in the henhouse and tucked away for the night! We had a massive thunderstorm last night (one in several so far this week). This morning I found her dead on the floor of the henhouse. I had not noticed any health issues, other than mites which is an issue I have been working on. I actually sprayed 2 of my other hens with a clove oil/cottonseed mite-killer last night, but not this one. I had noticed after the thunderstorm 2 nights ago, her feathers were puffed out in the morning and she seemed very scared. There were no obvious signs of injury. I believe she may have suffered a heart attack due to fright. If it was a predator, then it must have happened during the 2 hours in the morning between their door opening and me coming out to check on things. I don't feel that is a typical time for predator attacks. I did lose a hen to a predator attack just 2 days ago. Feathers were all that was left of her.
Thanks for any comments.

 

[nuthatched]

Sounds like she had something else going on.
Puffed up means that they don't feel well. What was their diet? Age? Did she lay recently?
She could have been suffering from anemia from the mites. Clean out your coop entirely, apply a permethrine based powder or spray abd get entirely new bedding and litter.

 

[C Anne]

Sounds like she had something else going on.
Puffed up means that they don't feel well. What was their diet? Age? Did she lay recently?
She could have been suffering from anemia from the mites. Clean out your coop entirely, apply a permethrine based powder or spray abd get entirely new bedding and litter.

Thank you for the reply! I didn't know what puffed up could mean. She was about 4 years old. Recently most of the hens are laying a lot less. She probably had not laid for a few days. This all seemed to come on suddenly. I noticed for the first time opening the henhouse about 3 days ago that the mites were really bad. I did clean it out that same day and started spraying a clove oil-based product in the henhouse as soon as I could get it. I will get the permethrine too since it is so bad. I now fear the hen killed by a predator didn't want to go into the henhouse at night due to the mites. Their diet is good, I think. I give them cut-up fresh fruits/vegetables almost every day, and they have layer feed and scratch. The diet hasn't really changed much over the past years. We have had a lot of rain this spring, so I am sure that has contributed to the mites. Definitely will follow your advice! Cleaning out the coop again in case I left a bit of straw.