Welcome to BYC, and good luck in establishing your flock. Hot wire is a great mammalian deterrent.
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Agreed. I would also suggest Silkies as a docile breed, Australorps and Americanas for their beautiful colors, and if you’re willing to risk a more aggressive breed, Rhode Island Red chickens are generally more hostile to humans, but are good layers and have a strong and defined social structure within their flock.Welcome to BYC. Barred Rocks would be a good choice for you. You will need to build a coop and pen like Fort Knox to protect your birds like I've done. We have lots of predators including snakes, hawks, bobcats and rats.
It would be best to feed chicks "Chick Starter" feed, then at 18-20 weeks old switch them to "Layer" feed. Your local feed store will have the proper feed for your birds.