I always direct sow my swiss chard -- next year, pick up a pack of seeds for less than the cost of your two transplants :) -- so I can't help with the first question. But I did not have trouble with beetle damage on my chard last summer, even when nearby bush beans were completely wiped out. Of course, my basil was OK last year, too, so maybe the bush beans were just tastier than either of the other two!

If they aren't too hard to detangle, you may want to separate them. You will get more production if each plant has more space than being on top of one another.

I haven't noticed any pests, but I only first grew it last year at the end of fall, and then this season. I've already gotten several harvests out of them.

I think it's slugs, earwigs, or pillbugs that eat mine(since I know I have plenty of these pests), but not enough to take drastic action. There's always more than enough to harvest and they just keep going and going and going. One I planted last spring is just now starting to bolt.

Kevin

Swiss chard is VERY tolerant of having its roots mishandled. It even recovers from having its taproot cut off. Just be sure to provide constant moisture and (if possible) shade during the establishment period for any plants that had their roots damaged.

I've only ever spread chard and kale seed, never plants so can't help with advice there but the above posting looks like you should be successful.
If it helps, perhaps but them in a bowl of water to loosen the roots from each slip if you want to seperate them before planting? I'd still invest in some seed, to sprinkle around and you'll then have a later crop. Most chard is heat tolerant and will still keep growing well into the time the cold weather comes (they like that best) I've seen photo's of it and kale growing under the first snows, but we get too much of the white stuff to be able to FIND the veg under it:)
If you want to get a good deal on Kale seed, I buy the packs of hundreds of organic "sprouting" seeds from the health food store. You would think that would cost more then a usual seed packet but I don't think they figure on you growing it to full size, Here I can get just under 4OZ of seeds for $3.99 (black or green kale)
I love that you can go out and just pick off leaves and still leave the plant to grow, SO worth it!
I've had slugs and bug take chops but they have never done enough damage to kill a plant, nor even eat a whole leaf, just holes and such.

Thank you everyone.

Chard has been fairly trouble-free for me insect wise; some years spotted cucumber beetles chew on it, but they seldom cause more than minor damage. Other years the grasshopper damage becomes noticeable.

But the worst damage I ever had with chard was due to... goldfinches??? A flock of them learned to peck on the leaves, and within several weeks, had eaten a stand 12" tall down to the ground. The next year I used floating row cover over the chard, which effectively stopped the bird damage, as well as the beetles. I highly recommend the use of row cover for the best-quality leaves.

Thanks for the advise!