When you get your next chickens, you could try confining them to a run and see how it works out. I think if they never go out, they might not know the difference.
Our original intention was to keep ours secure at all times. We did take them out in a tractor (covered in chicken wire, so not predator-proof) anytime we were home. This all worked out fine until the long snowy winter. We had one feather-eater, and this behavior escalated during late winter and spread among the flock. They started drawing blood, and we were using a lot of blu-kote. We increased protein, hung cabbages, gave flock block, etc. As a last resort, we started letting them loose. They did not go far because they would not walk on the snow, they only followed the shoveled pathways. The feather picking stopped, except for two hens, which are now outfitted with pinless peepers.
What we do now, is let them out into a large fenced-in area (only one hen likes to fly over), but only when we are home. Certainly a hawk could pick one off, but once we had let them taste freedom, they really wanted out. We can move the fence around, and it is easy to herd them back into the secure run with treats. I expect to lose hens to predators someday, but have been lucky so far.
With your experience, I would be inclined to keep them secure and try to provide entertainment so they don't pick each other apart. You may want to select for breed that tolerate confinement well.
Good luck to you!
