Match me a breed.

[thatdirtyhippie]

If you don't mind crested, our Mottled Houdan fits all of your wants, she is extremely friendly, she prefers my company to that of the flock, tolerates confinement excellently, is larger, can handle cold and heat and has clean feet. I don't know about all of the breed, but ours is not remotely flighty like my high strung (but so loved) polish gals.

Those are a wish list bird of mine!!

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I think you’re looking for Dominiques

but not sure if you’ll find a local breeder with them ... is there a concern with hatcheries or are you just not wanting to do day old chicks, etc. ?

No day old chicks.

 

[nuthatched]

Speckled Sussex!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Speckled Sussex!

Agreed!

 

[halefamily_flock]

Agreed!

I agree with the Speckled Sussex recommendation! Mine are a bit on the lazy/heavy side (they free range--could be worse in a run?) so had some trouble in high heat/high humidity this past summer but they made it through just fine with shade and extra water stations, and an occasional cold watermelon.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Speckled Sussex.View attachment 2466622
Hardy, sweet, GREAT forager, is the only one who is laying through the winter rn, and just GORGEOUS!

Here are more pics....they really are just beautiful birds.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I agree with the Speckled Sussex recommendation! Mine are a bit on the lazy/heavy side (they free range--could be worse in a run?) so had some trouble in high heat/high humidity this past summer but they made it through just fine with shade and extra water stations, and an occasional cold watermelon.

Mine is more on the lean side. She’s quite the forager. The other five just sit on their fat bums in the sun while she scratches around for any morsel she can find.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Another great breed is the Black Star. (AKA Black Sex Link)

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I'm thinking Orpington, but you don't want the color Buff. There is other colors like Chocolate, Lavender, and Jubilee, but those can be rare. I did have great luck with Buff Comets, but those are a hybrid that you might have to breed yourself. If it wasn't for aggression, I'd suggest the Old English Game. You can get those as Standards. I've had some, and they were great. Great foragers, though the youngers didn't care for confinement. Great mothers, did good during the winter, and were pretty without much fluff. A hybrid like a Sex-Link would be good all around, but won't be good mothers and can be mean sometimes. I guess my best suggestion is Buff Comets, but getting them already bred, might be a problem. My Buff Comet's parents were a Buff Orpington father and a Golden Comet mother. They had a darker Buff color with white tails. Also, Easter Eggers are a good one, but ain't good mothers (at least out of the ones that I've had). They do good in confinement, not too fluffy, especially if you can get some beardless. Those are quite common. Plymouth Rocks are another one, but again, I've never seen one broody. Tetra Tints you might be able to get at Tractor Supply. I think that I had one that went broody in a secret nest, but I think something must of got her because she had disappeared and shortly after is when I found the nest. There was never any feathers found of her, so I think a fox carried her off to it's den. My Tetra Tints were great hens, though they were supposed to be Jersey Giants. Tetra Tints are another hybrid. They're also known as Amber Stars.

 

[Pentatonchix]

Consider EEs. They are the most docile of my little flock. The only overly fluffy part is their beards...