A good place to get lots of answers is backyardchickens.com.
As for good layers the white leghorn is supposed to be excellent as in the Rhode Island Red. We keep the ones named above along with Black sex-linked and Buff Orpington (sp?).
The white Leghorn is said to be friendly and sometimes she is. I find her more independent, has no problem going off on her own.
Rhode Island Red is said to be cautious. I have one male and two females of this type. The rooster doesn't care much for my husband but will allow me to touch his back and tail feathers. One of the girls is very slow developing. She doesn't lay eggs and her comb and wattle are not fully developed. My grandmother has told us she is considered a meat bird because of this. I told my husband there is no way I would let him kill her. She doesn't like anyone to get close to her except on her own terms. The other girl is a complete opposite. She is fully developed and laying every day. She is a very friendly bird! She will follow me around outside and if I'm sitting she will sit on my lap or shoulder. She is also very curious and has become stuck behind some boxes in the garage for almost 24 hours. She got behind them and couldn't get out. We thought she was a goner until the next morning I went searching and called for her as I passed the garage. She heard me and started squawking loudly. I lifted her out and turned around to see the rooster there. Now that the weather is cold, she comes to the kitchen door and waits for us to open it. She'll come in, eat some bread or whatever else we offer, follows us around in the house and when she has warmed up she goes back outside.
As for zoning, town hall should be able to tell you. We are zoned for horses so that covers any farm animal. Usually they allow you to keep 3 hens but no roosters if the houses are close together.
Hope I helped some.
