Unexpected chicks!

[LadiesAndJane]

So, I just hatched 8 silkie cross chicks, some are standard in size. There are several more in various stages of incubation (staggered hatch).
I am having a horrible time finding any buyers for them. The few that I had lined up, backed out. I am planning on keeping two. If all hatch as expected (they all look great so far), I will have 21 chicks! They are unexpected in that I did not foresee having problems selling them.
My question is, how many can comfortably be in a 4 x 6 foot tractor (with heat) until 6 weeks of age? If I can not sell them soon, I am thinking of trying again off heat, after the holidays, as many people do not wish to brood them themselves.
Thanks for any input!

 

[Cinnamon11]

they are adorable

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think the idea is .5 sq foot until 4 weeks and then 1 sq foot after until adulting, and a 4x6 is 24 sq feet

 

[LadiesAndJane]

they are adorable

Right, I don’t get why I can’t sell them?!
The girls will likely lay green eggs as well, that should be a selling point!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I think the idea is .5 sq foot until 4 weeks and then 1 sq foot after until adulting, and a 4x6 is 24 sq feet

Thanks! Great then it should be plenty of room! I just don’t want them to be crowded.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thanks! Great then it should be plenty of room! I just don’t want them to be crowded.

They might be a bit, depending on how many are males, but it shouldn't be anything terrible

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I use the tractor now for my big girls to get out in the grass and eat bugs. I usually put three or four in there at a time for only a couple hours at a time so 21 in that space does seem like a lot.

 

[ackie]

The main concern I have is whether the staggered ages will get along with each other.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Sounds like the tractor size is perfectly fine to me, just keep it clean. As long as the ages are within a month or so you should have no issues with the different ages (just be careful when you put the day olds in with anything over a week they may get trampled). I use some kind of real basic thing to separate them (cardboard, whatever) until the day olds are at least big enough they can move instead of get walked on.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So far they’re doing great! Hoping to sell off the older ones before I need to put them all together but we will see! Right now I have two day old chicks in with 11 day olds and they are fine.