I could use some breed suggestions or a reality check.

[Seaslug]

I know that you are interested only in a single breed flock, but for anyone else who looks at this later, one should keep in mind that chickens can learn from one another. So for some of these "traits," such as ability to forage and predator awareness, one can have a single hen in the flock that serves this purpose and almost takes the roll of a rooster. They may not purposely call the rest of the flock to tasty snacks, but their reaction to having found something good to eat will alert the others to a food source. And as long as one of your birds has an eye out for predators, it mostly likely will the others to any threat. So one does not necessarily have to be concerned about if the breed you are interested in is not known to be excellent in these areas as they may be able to learn from their flock mates.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Look into heritage not hatchery RIR. I raised the RC variety. They’re calm and not especially broody when compared to Australorps, Brahmas, Silkies etc. They’re beautiful, good at free ranging, not aggressive, and calm. Just solid birds and really large. I don’t think the RC infertility issues are especially statistically significant for an average homesteader and I am pro-rose comb due to the lack of frostbite but single combs are more readily available. They’re also pretty intelligent and savvy. They’re literally the lines most similar to original RIRs who were meant for small flock owners so are adapted towards that usage. Pictures don’t do them justice-they’re beautiful in person and not at all like the rusty orange ones from hatcheries. Mine were the Horstman line but there’s a few others you’re likely to be able to locate more easily (like the Mohawk line).

 

[la dee da]

Look into heritage not hatchery RIR. I raised the RC variety. They’re calm and not especially broody when compared to Australorps, Brahmas, Silkies etc. They’re beautiful, good at free ranging, not aggressive, and calm. Just solid birds and really large. I don’t think the RC infertility issues are especially statistically significant for an average homesteader and I am pro-rose comb due to the lack of frostbite but single combs are more readily available. They’re also pretty intelligent and savvy. They’re literally the lines most similar to original RIRs who were meant for small flock owners so are adapted towards that usage. Pictures don’t do them justice-they’re beautiful in person and not at all like the rusty orange ones from hatcheries. Mine were the Horstman line but there’s a few others you’re likely to be able to locate more easily (like the Mohawk line).

View attachment 4168246View attachment 4168247

I actually had heritage RIR from a fellow BYCer, and they were absolutely stunning! However, they were also quite broody, and as the roosters got older they wouldn’t stop fighting (I think they were about 30 weeks). None were aggressive to me, so points there, but I’d love to have 2-3 roosters at some point free ranging the property. My hens’ eggs were also oddly oblong, long and skinny; is that normal for the breed? Maybe I should try them again…

 

[la dee da]

Araucanas have tufts, Ameraucanas have muffs & beards. Different genes, slightly different results.

I wonder if any of the culls from the Araucana breeder would suit you? Due to the way the tuft gene works, Araucanas will always produce some chicks with no tufts. I'm not sure if there will be some chicks with tails or not, but you might ask. Some breeders do include birds with tails in their lines.

Have you already ruled out Easter Eggers? They come in a variety of colors (not good if you want all your birds to look alike), but they do tend to be healthy birds and good layers. Of course they are variable, especially from one hatchery to another, but I would expect them to mostly avoid the extremes of flightiness, stupidity, and broodiness that you dislike in some breeds.

Her birds look like this (color excluded):

I really don’t care for the rumpless look, nor do blue eggs excite me. It’s a nice thought, since I know she cares for her birds and breeds good ones, but I already thought that one through .