The moment I read about these eight chicks, four lively, four listless, I felt that familiar pang of chicken-parent guilt. You've got a 27-gallon tub, wood shavings, food, water, and a growing suspicion that maybe, just maybe, you've set up a tiny avian battleground. That instinct to separate the strong ones from the weak? That's not paranoia. That's the first sign you're paying attention to the subtle politics of a brooder.
Space isn't your *only* problem, but it's the one you can fix right now. A 27-gallon tub is fine for a day or two, but for eight chicks approaching three weeks old? That's a cramped condo when they need a starter ranch. The four "strong" ones are likely dominating the heat lamp, the feeder, and the waterer, leaving the other four in the dust, or in this case, the wood shavings. When you pulled the weaker four out and they couldn't stand, that's a red flag, not a personality quirk. Chicks that age should be peeping, scratching, and wobbling with purpose. If they're laying around like tiny feathered potatoes, it's usually because they're being bullied, chilled, or simply worn out from fighting for resources.
What would I tell you if you asked me directly? Separate the groups, yes, but don't just swap the tubs. Give the weaker four their own warm, safe space, something with low sides so they can't tip over, and a heat source they can snuggle under without competition. Watch them for a day. If they start standing, peeping, and showing interest in food, you've solved the space issue. If they still can't balance, you might be looking at a leg problem or a nutritional gap, spraddle leg or a vitamin deficiency can show up this early. Either way, don't wait. Chicks decline fast when they're on the bottom of the pecking order.
Here's the concrete part: you don't need to be a chicken expert to fix this. You need to be a chicken detective. Give the slowpokes a separate brooder for 48 hours, monitor their legs, and if they're still not standing by day three, a dab of a chick vitamin supplement on their beaks might be worth trying. But start with space. In the world of brooder politics, square footage is the first treaty you sign.