Hi John
Your problem will be getting sexed chicks from a local breeder. Hatchery chicks are vent sexed (unless they are sex linked hybrids or an auto sexing breed) which is a very skilled job. Your average breeder, even a top notch one, will probably be unable to sex chicks accurately until they are at least 5 weeks old, so you will miss some of the chick bonding experience that you would have with day old chicks from a hatchery. There is however only a 90% accuracy even with vent sexing, so no absolute guarantee that you will get all females from the hatchery especially with bantams. A single silkie bantam may also struggle to survive/thrive within a mixed large fowl flock. Most people find it is safest to keep silkies with other bantams or in a pen of their own.
There are also risks in sourcing birds from different outlets. Marek's disease being one of the most infectious and heart breaking and the NPIP certification does not cover it, so you could introduce a fatal virus into your flock by obtaining chicks from a breeder. Hatchery chicks are much less likely to have been exposed to Marek's but would be at risk introduced to other birds that have been exposed and are carriers. Most serious breeders specialise in just a few breeds, so you would be struggling to get all the breeds you want from just one breeder and as above that increases your risks of introducing disease...... So there are other considerations than just the genetic background of the birds you want.
Not saying, don't do it, but just to make an informed decision about the pros and cons of hatchery versus private breeder(s)
Regards
Barbara
Your problem will be getting sexed chicks from a local breeder. Hatchery chicks are vent sexed (unless they are sex linked hybrids or an auto sexing breed) which is a very skilled job. Your average breeder, even a top notch one, will probably be unable to sex chicks accurately until they are at least 5 weeks old, so you will miss some of the chick bonding experience that you would have with day old chicks from a hatchery. There is however only a 90% accuracy even with vent sexing, so no absolute guarantee that you will get all females from the hatchery especially with bantams. A single silkie bantam may also struggle to survive/thrive within a mixed large fowl flock. Most people find it is safest to keep silkies with other bantams or in a pen of their own.
There are also risks in sourcing birds from different outlets. Marek's disease being one of the most infectious and heart breaking and the NPIP certification does not cover it, so you could introduce a fatal virus into your flock by obtaining chicks from a breeder. Hatchery chicks are much less likely to have been exposed to Marek's but would be at risk introduced to other birds that have been exposed and are carriers. Most serious breeders specialise in just a few breeds, so you would be struggling to get all the breeds you want from just one breeder and as above that increases your risks of introducing disease...... So there are other considerations than just the genetic background of the birds you want.
Not saying, don't do it, but just to make an informed decision about the pros and cons of hatchery versus private breeder(s)
Regards
Barbara
hello
and welcome to backyard chickens!thank you for joining us 
