My bantam Americana (think breeder got originals from murrey mcmurrey), are great free rangers, layers of med a colorful egg day by hens, they brood own young if leave too many eggs in a nest, roos guard hens well but hens have small spurs to defend selves and each other too. Roos are pretty meaty for for totally free range birds not fed except when completely bare land that hasn't happened yet.
one hen had a hawk over double her size on ground not letting it get its wing, after hawk was evaded by another hen that had attacked it until lead hen got there (lead gamey type hen scares rest when she screams), which fought and bloodied it till the hawk was too exausted to lift its wings stooping holding self up by wings heaving for breath (hen was bleeding from mouth with chipped beak and lost two or three nails). naturally wary but learn quickly if that i am provider of treats and pets, but sound alarm if anyone else comes around.
I'm in east tn, noticing most hobby to med level poultry keepers in general area who care about animals are from NC TX or FL.
starter flock size is two to three hens, or five to eight, ten to fifteen. with one roo for every eight to twelve hens if want total fertility. i find one main roo with two to three sub roos to him, will make great sentinels as lower roos are taking that job more seriously for lf chooks that need more time to run and hide, two to three sub roos or cockerels full of fight will take on and kill a hawk they can get above and/or ground (I've seen many times), and I've had to save many a pathetic downed hawk from my games.
What a great story. I was thinking about bantam Ameraucanas because we love our LF APA Ameraucana.
Your game birds sound great too!
I think Murray McMurray's Americanas are properly called Easter Eggers but both breeds are similar except that the American Poultry Association (APA) only identifies certain Standard of Perfection (SOP) guidelines to identify pure Ameraucanas (I believe there are only 8 recognized APA colors) and hatcheries do not carry purebred "Ameraucanas" - they can only be obtained from private and show breeders only. Hatcheries identify their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas or Americanas and sometimes Araucanas but these hatchery birds are still just Easter Eggers and not a recognized breed - however Easter Eggers are extremely popular and a very good layer and good-natured. Anyway, the EEs are related to Ameraucana and I am satisfied that the bantam breed is a good choice to own - especially after your wonderful story.
As for NC TX or FL for breeders. I have researched and found breeders all over the mid-West like TN KY WV VA IA IL OH MO WI MN and on the West Coast like OR CA AZ CO UT etc. It takes quite a bit of detective work and research but there are some quality breeders all over the USA. As for hatcheries there are maybe around top 10 or so that offer a wide variety of breeds and several limited hatcheries that deal mostly in commercial production breeds only. Depends on what you are looking for.