C# NullRefException accessing static class, array value

Hey Guys, This is driving me insane. I decided on using a class array to access upgrade stats instead of a list. But something so seemingly simple is throwing an error and for the life of me I can't see it.

Very simply I created a class to hold an array of another class:

 public static class GlobalVariables {
 public class statClass
 {
         public int Dmg { get; set; }
         public int FX { get; set; }
         public int Blast { get; set; }
     }
         
     public class statHolder
     {
         public statClass[] chicken = new statClass[3];
         public statClass[] sheep = new statClass[3];
         public statClass[] pig = new statClass[3];
         public statClass[] cow = new statClass[3];
         public int[] someInts = new int[5];
     }
 
 public static statHolder currentStats = new statHolder();
 

As you can see, I've created an instance of the 'statHolder' class called 'currentStats'. The 'statHolder' class contains 4 arrays of the class 'statClass', which will contain some public values (that are currently uninitialized, which is irrelevant).

Now when I try to call or access these values from another class's Start() method:

GlobalVariables.currentStats.chicken[0].Dmg = 5;

I get the good old "NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object". But that is a bold-faced LIE. "chicken[0]" IS an instance of statClass as specified by "chicken = new statClass[3];". I'm so angry I want to punch a baby in the face.

There's obviously a disconnect between declaring the statClass arrays and accessing them, but I am too close to the forest to see the trees. To check my sanity i created another array with the exact same type of declaration called 'someInts'. Accessing them in exactly the same way works fine:

GlobalVariables.currentStats.someInts[0] = 5;

Can anyone point out to me where my mistake is? Because right now I'm inclined to assume that C# is just being a finicky bitch. Serves me right for trying to do something the easy way I guess.

//// UPDATE ////

Thanks guys, very clear where the disconnect was now. Initial value of a reference is always null.

 public class statHolder
 {
     public statClass[] chicken = new statClass[3]{new statClass(), new statClass(), new statClass()};
     public statClass[] sheep = new statClass[3]{new statClass(), new statClass(), new statClass()};
     public statClass[] pig = new statClass[3]{new statClass(), new statClass(), new statClass()};
     public statClass[] cow = new statClass[3]{new statClass(), new statClass(), new statClass()};
 }

 public statClass[] chicken = new statClass[3];

 public statClass[] chicken = new statClass[3]{null, null, null};

 chicken = new statClass[3];
 for(int i=0; i<3; i++){
      chicken[x]=new statClass();
 }