Barred Rocks are good pets and good layers. Cochins and Brahmas don't lay as well because they tend to go broody more often. From my friend's experience, Australorps and Orpingtons also tend to go broody. Chickens don't lay when they are broody.
Big Brahmas and Cochins don't lay as well, but they can be very gentle and cuddly; they and Silkies require drier runs - Silkie feathers get saturated by rain, and Brahmas and Cochins leg feathers can get wet and cause problems.
Any chicken that is handled gently as a chick and then offered treats as they grow older (and have had access to grit) can become very tame - although some are harder than others to keep that way. The more flighty birds can revert to panic mode on a long term basis if frightened by yelling or running children.
One thing I do is take sequentially take each chick out of the incubator and hold it in my loosely cupped hands with my thumbs crossed to keep it from jumping out and hurting itself. I hang on to them and speak softly and slowly until they calm down. Sometimes I hold them until they fall asleep. This seems to really help. I also talk to them several times a day and always move slowly around them (Think of how would you feel if a 144 foot tall giant were moving around you and picking you up.)
The thing to remember is that chickens have three major priorities - eating, not being eaten, and making more chickens - not always in that order.
Try to make sure any chicks you get are immunized for Marek's because it is a horrible, heartbreaking disease.
Big Brahmas and Cochins don't lay as well, but they can be very gentle and cuddly; they and Silkies require drier runs - Silkie feathers get saturated by rain, and Brahmas and Cochins leg feathers can get wet and cause problems.
Any chicken that is handled gently as a chick and then offered treats as they grow older (and have had access to grit) can become very tame - although some are harder than others to keep that way. The more flighty birds can revert to panic mode on a long term basis if frightened by yelling or running children.
One thing I do is take sequentially take each chick out of the incubator and hold it in my loosely cupped hands with my thumbs crossed to keep it from jumping out and hurting itself. I hang on to them and speak softly and slowly until they calm down. Sometimes I hold them until they fall asleep. This seems to really help. I also talk to them several times a day and always move slowly around them (Think of how would you feel if a 144 foot tall giant were moving around you and picking you up.)
The thing to remember is that chickens have three major priorities - eating, not being eaten, and making more chickens - not always in that order.
Try to make sure any chicks you get are immunized for Marek's because it is a horrible, heartbreaking disease.
and Welcome To BYC! Don't forget to check out the BYC Breeds section for any breeds you are interested in, it has member reviews of a lot of breeds, the Henderson chicken breed chart also compares a lot of common breeds. 
