I think I have started something......

[Padleia]

So I went on ebay and ordered some books LOL. I may be addicted now..

What breeds of laying hens are best for kids? And how would I go about making sure my chickens are friendly/holdable?
Would I be better off hatching my own and risking a rooster or two in the mix? Or buying chicks?
Where I live roosters are VERY VERY hard to rehome.
I'm a total newbie

 

[N F C]

If you haven't looked at the articles in the Learning Center yet (tab up above, next to the Home tab), I'd suggest starting here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...cken-guide-to-picking-backyard-chicken-breeds
There are several factors to consider when choosing the breeds you want in your flock and that article helps narrow breeds down to the ones most likely to work for you.

You may also want to check in with other members in your state for tips and maybe even where you can pick up some chicks (a lot of the larger hatcheries have minimums that might not work for you and won't be filling orders until spring time). This link will take you to a list of the state threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread

If roosters are really hard to rehome in your area and you're opposed to eliminating them, I wouldn't jump into incubating eggs. I'd suggest you look for some of the auto-sexing breeds (you can tell girls from boys based on feather color). You can find a lot of threads about autosexed birds using the Search bar at the top (under the logo).

Hope that helps a bit!