My BA roo died around 9 months of age, protecting his hens. He was not a lap chicken, but did not attack people and certainly did protect his flock, calling a warning as needed, etc. My BA hens were also not lap chickens but really not difficult to handle or pick up from the roost, and will eat from my hand. They come when I go outside on the chance I have treats.
I bought 50 chicks this spring and have more BA's than any other breed -- I think I have about 12 breeds out there. The BA's are the only chicks that are really friendly; several jump on my lap or come up to me to be picked up, and I can handle all of them easily. I had a bunch of chicks (21 of 50) die from delayed delivery and shipping in cold weather; the BA's did better than any other breed; lost either 1 or 2 of 10.
They lay a big brown egg, I am sure an extra large though have not weighed them, and they lay almost daily. This year I bought straight run to put the extra roos in the freezer, and the BA's are filling out faster and weigh more than any of the others (RIR, BO, BR, PR, EE, NHR, SLW, SS, that I can think of.)
Their feathers have a gorgeous green or purple sheen to them in the sun.
About the only drawback I can figure out is their combs and wattles are large and might be subject to frostbite. But I had no problem with this last winter. It does get into the 20's here but is hot in the summer, so two sides of the coop are wire, which I just covered with plastic for the cold days. I did turn on a heat lamp over the roost if it was going to be below about 25.
I have only one BA hen left (one year old now.) She has never gone broody, but when another chicken did, she did not molest the chick; I did not separate the broody and chick from the others (didn't know I was supposed to!) They are supposed to be good mothers.
For an egg/meat backyard flock, what more could one ask of a breed? Yes, I like them a lot.
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