Annette- I chose Buff Orpingtons for my home flock. They are quiet and (don't laugh!) rather affectionate. The hens are willing to set if you want them too, and the roosters are not obnoxious. They (well, mine) are very careful with their hens, though. Spike, the oldest, is adament about every one getting back to the coop in the evenings. He runs around shooing the girls inside, complaining when they go the wrong way. Gizmo is learning, but after all he's only 5 months old. I keep most of my flock at a friends place (no roosters in town!! wouldn't want to attract attention) and they had a large bloack and white rooster that was very hard on the hens. His name is Stew. as is his function now.(posted 8959 days ago)Any how, I have never been sorry I chose the breed I did. They get a little hot here in the summer (Central Valley, CA), but they should do well there in WA. OH, a note... it took the girls quite a while to start laying, 5 1/2 months or so, but once they did they have laid an egg a day during the spring, summer and fall, and an egg every other day thru the winter. I give the friends who own the barn all the eggs they want, and sell a few dozen each week to pay for feed. Free eggs and (next year) chicken meat... who could ask for more?
Lastly, when we got them, I snuck them into the back yard as a "Y2K" project. My hubby was always very clear that if nothing happened, the girls at home would join their cousins AT ONCE. Now, if I get up early enough, I can catch him tossing out scratch to them in his BVDs after he makes coffee in the AM! They kinda grow on you.