We had some a few years ago and they were bolshy, fun characters who laid well and lasted a few years (one actually lasted nearly 5!).
We then got another lot a couple of years ago, from Little Hen Rescue at Norwich, and we rescued a rooster too (Brutus). He was fabulous whilst they were "ok". Never a huge amount of eggs (4 between the 12 of them) and seemed to die very easily. BUT, we incubated some of their eggs and their daughters are AMAZING layers. Still laying one blue egg a day as we speak (Brutus was a legbar cross). His sons were horrible temprement wise and went to the pot.
