Help! Restocking options!

[Cwm197]

Hi! I just lost 5 birds and have 1 lonely girl left. The question I have is- what is my best course of action. I live on Long Island in New York. Should I get some chicks and raise them? My only concern is timing. I don't want the one left to be alone for a long time. Also if I get chicks now I am thinking they should be ready to go outside before it gets cold. I am really confused and could use some help! Thank you!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I brood my chicks outside. There is no reason to have them in the house. Brooding outdoors with a heating lets them adjust to the outdoor temps much faster, feather out faster, have more room and there's no chick dust and stink in your house.

If you have a way to partition off an area for brooding where the hen can see them, and then when they are a couple weeks old you can start letting them interact with her.

The other option is to find and buy older chicks or grown birds.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

And I suppose another option is to rehome the lone one and start all over again.