We looked into those breeds, as well as Appenzellers since they were pretty & hardy, but we were looking for less gamey flighty birds that wouldn't fly out of our yard.I'm not sure exactly how they compare to Hamburgs size-wise, but Fayoumis or Campines would fit this description too. Fayoumis are also meant to be more disease resistant than a lot of breeds.
Both are usually described as flighty, although the one young Fayoumi I have here mostly flies onto my head so she can work her way down to my shoulder and then to investigate my pocketsShe takes off like a helicopter though and could definitely fly away from a terrestrial predator better than most chickens. The breeder I know with Campines can't pick one of his cocks up without the other getting jealous and jumping up on his shoulder for cuddles too.
We settled on Dominiques cuz of their less flighty & calm demeanor/interaction w/ our Silkies.
2017
We liked our White Leghorn for eggs & she was ok around the littles ...but she was more an independent forager than a flock team mate.
2011
Our Cuckoo Marans was a hurtful bully & got re-homed to a neighbor's layer flock.
Your Shetlands sound nice. How is their temperament as adults? Calm? Independent? Flighty? Skittish? Etc? Any egg photos?
Memories. I miss our Ginny too. She wouldn't push her way up for treats till I called her name & then she would come to the front. She was a chunky gal for a Silkie!
