Poor hatch for my chickens

As reported previously, I am anticipating an increase to my homestead poultry flock.  In particular introducing Fred the Rooster to the girls, Penny, Prissy and Pick.  My original flock of red speckled Sussex hens was decimated by  the many predators we have around the house.  Attacks from hawks, dogs, coyotes, racs, and possums left only three fairly street smart hens who now look to the sky and take cover if they see a circling shadow.  Everything likes to eat chicken and the hens were so friendly that they would walk right up to the predator and allow the predator sufficient time to snatch and run.  I understand now the importance of a rooster.  As annoying as roosters can be they are definite plus for my flock's protection.  Having grown up with very territorial roosters who attacked anything moving, I wanted to decrease the likelihood of the rooster attacking humans by getting a more stable breed.  I decided on a double laced barnevelder for its dark brown eggs, for the stability of its roosters and as a declining heritage breed.

I ordered a straight hatch where the number of male to female chickens is a crapshoot.  Out of eight chickens it could be half and half (best outcome), all male (worst outcome) or anything in between.  Because of the order problem encountered, I know exactly what I will be getting now.  I will be getting three roosters and three hen barnevelders and two buckeye hens.  The original hatch date came and went and the company I order from, My Pet Chicken, called me to let me know the hatch for the type of chicken I ordered was not very successful and they could not fulfill all orders for the breed at that time.  Future hatches were a big question mark.  They worked with me to provide substitute hatch dates and other types of chickens.  I have nothing but praise for how they handled the situation.  Buckeyes have always interested me because an Ohio woman developed the breed.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/buckeye_chicken

I wish I could come up with a breed of chickens that are friendly, quiet (including the roosters) but able to better fend for themselves against predators as well as egg productive.  Why hasn't anyone tried to develop a rooster that has a soft, non irritating crow?  Or they use their crow only as a protective device?

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/barnevelder

I have enjoyed watching my three remaining hens chase bugs in the mornings and afternoons.  They make crazy eights in the yard chasing the winged things launching out of the grass and their craws are full of squirmy things.  Makes me happy knowing that they are happy.