Definately try to get younger chooks, they will be more friendly. We have 9 chooks - 4 Barnvelders (gorgeous friendly birds), 4 Lavendar Aracunas (I think they are very pretty, they are rumpless) and an Isa Brown cross (from CC).

Chooks can fly, but they usually can't be bothered. We have a 1200mm fence around our veggie patch to keep the dogs & chooks out of it, and it's great - we have also put netting over the top to keep the possums & birds out.

With our chooks we have a 2400mm fence around a designated area, in that we have an old aviary we rescued from the kerbside collection and reclad in timber. With the actual chook run, we have wire angled in on the top (to keep foxes in if they get in) and we buried chook wire down about 600mm to stop foxes digging under. We don't bother locking up the chooks at night. We also rescued an old dog kennel from the kerbside collection and keep a bale of straw in there - the chooks will also roost / lay there.

DS is almost 3 and he loves his chooks, if he falls over in the yard we have to catch a chook for him to cuddle ... the benefit of getting young chooks.

Good luck!!!