I made a mistake about a holding area and don't know what to do.

[AmbersOfNimbus]

Well, today. I went out and bought some 4-5 week old, full sized chicks. And I got 20 of them. They're in a somewhat small area for the night, an old rabbit hutch that's about 5' by 6' and is enclosed and inside. Well, at the place where I got them from, I picked up three somewhat newly hatched(I assume about 3 days to maybe a week at most) days old Silkies. I plan on picking up 7 more tomorrow or the day after, once they get their silver ones in. I picked them up while thinking of my mother, she'd always wanted a darker color of Silkies. I was planning to buy another cage for them that night, and make a holding area for the other, bigger ones tomorrow. But, I had to go to work, so I handed the Silkies to my mother and went. The store oddly closed early today, So I was unable to get a little holding area for the Silkies. I only have a single heat lamp and I'm worried that the larger chicks stepping on them. My mother, of course put them with the larger ones. But the smaller ones were stepped on while I was gone. One of them was laying on it's side when I got home, but since then, I've gotten it to walk normally and it's doing seemingly just fine.
So, I'm meaning to ask, what can I keep them in? Until I headed for the store in about eight hours? Do I just hold them for that time and miss out on sleeping? Or can I possibly put them into another container and give the heat lamp to them instead of the 4-5 week old ones? I tried having one of my more broody hens, a year old Australorp
(She sits on eggs, without a rooster for about 4 hours on some days, unlike all the others that I own.) take them, but she tried to peck at them after I gently got them under her. Which made me assume that was a no.
Any help at all right now would be amazing, I do hope someone is online at this time!

 

[rebrascora]

I would say that if the older ones are in the house, they don't need the heat lamp. They can snuggle together if they feel cold. Put the smaller ones I in a cardboard box or tote and give them the heat lamp. That said, I have not raised chicks myself, I only broody rear. Your hen is not properly broody if she does not stay in the nest 24/7 with just a 20 min broody break, so it's a big risk giving the chicks to her.

 

[PD-Riverman]

The biggest thing is NOT TO OVER HEAT them-----you scare me talking about a heat lamp and only 3 chicks in a box. I would use the hanging light---heat bulb removed--- with a 25 watt incandescent bulb(not a energy saver bulb) a few inches off the floor inside the big box or plastic tub on one side so they can get away from the heat if you do not have it at the right height. If you do not have a 25 watt bulb----check the one in your fridge---if you have to use a 40 watt just raise the light some off the floor trying to get around 90 degree's below the hanging light max.

May I suggest you always get your Brooder Ready, heat set, etc, before you go get any chicks!! Saves a lot of headache's and stress on you and the chicks.

 

[AmbersOfNimbus]

The biggest thing is NOT TO OVER HEAT them-----you scare me talking about a heat lamp and only 3 chicks in a box. I would use the hanging light---heat bulb removed--- with a 25 watt incandescent bulb(not a energy saver bulb) a few inches off the floor inside the big box or plastic tub on one side so they can get away from the heat if you do not have it at the right height. If you do not have a 25 watt bulb----check the one in your fridge---if you have to use a 40 watt just raise the light some off the floor trying to get around 90 degree's below the hanging light max.

May I suggest you always get your Brooder Ready, heat set, etc, before you go get any chicks!! Saves a lot of headache's and stress on you and the chicks.

I'll not make the same mistake again, I haven't put them into a box or anything yet though. I've just been keeping them warm while holding them inside some old rags. Which I believe I said earlier. They're all currently doing just fine, all of them are sleeping right now. I'll make sure to work on their light right away too. I'd give pictures too, once I'm done. But my phone's camera broke a few weeks ago. Thank you very much for your help!

 

[AmbersOfNimbus]

The biggest thing is NOT TO OVER HEAT them-----you scare me talking about a heat lamp and only 3 chicks in a box. I would use the hanging light---heat bulb removed--- with a 25 watt incandescent bulb(not a energy saver bulb) a few inches off the floor inside the big box or plastic tub on one side so they can get away from the heat if you do not have it at the right height. If you do not have a 25 watt bulb----check the one in your fridge---if you have to use a 40 watt just raise the light some off the floor trying to get around 90 degree's below the hanging light max.

May I suggest you always get your Brooder Ready, heat set, etc, before you go get any chicks!! Saves a lot of headache's and stress on you and the chicks.

I used a large tub that I found in our storage room and a 25 watt incandescent light that I had in where I keep the lightbulbs. I'll update sometime later tomorrow...er, well, today. Ha. I've given them food and water in chick feeders also. So, I believe they'll be fine. I also made sure the temp was right for them. I'm off to get a tiny bit of rest. And, again, thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Baby chicks need 90 degrees F in heat in their brooder. I would suggest a cheap thermometer on the floor of the brooder or box. At a week old decrease the temp by 5 degrees, weekly thereafter. I would suggest keeping young chicks separate from older pullets, or you will lose chicks. It sounds like you need to get some wood and wire fencing to make some covered pens. Your chickens are much too overcrowded. Overcrowding will cause pecking and injuries. Read some of the articles available here on raising baby chicks.