Upstate NY Newbie!

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Wendizzle

Wendizzle

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Hello everyone! Long time lurker, finally joined. We are moving to Jefferson County in upstate NY in May, are finally buying a house with one pretty acre of land, planning to immediately start the dream of owning our own flock of backyard chickens and a beautiful garden and starting a few fruit trees where we can fit them. I have so many plans that I probably won't get to everything year, but the chickens will happen. Immediately. The husband has been warned. 😆

I'm interested in starting with silkies and orpingtons, I've been eyeing the lavender orpingtons and I think they look lovely! Now it's just deciding how many of each. I am a little nervous doing hatching eggs to start, I'm worried I am going to hatch a ridiculous m:f ratio like 10 males and 2 females and end up having to rehome or cull so many of the first flock. That typically doesn't happen, right????
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
The split is statistically 50:50. I recommend starting with sexed pullets. I don't believe Silkies can be sexed as chicks though. Too small to safely vent sex them.
 
Welcome to BYC! I always get a very high ratio of Male to female but some people do get closer to the average. If you're new to chickens, buy from a hatchery and buy pullets. Roosters take a little more energy and know how so I wouldn't suggest starting out with one.
The only hatchery that sells sexed silkies, to my knowledge is MYPETCHICKEN. They are expensive. I think I read here somewhere that they DNA sex them but there is still a 2% chance of getting a cockrel.
Good luck with your flock! Be sure and check out the coop build section.
 

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