Cold hardy breeds for New England?

First let me apologize if this is in the wrong forum, I wasn't sure where to post it.

I am new to chickens, this will be our first year owning them, and I'd love some help narrowing down which breeds would work for us. I'm looking for cold-hardy breeds that would do well in Maine. Docile, easy for the kids to handle, and preferably decent meat/egg cross.  Primary use would be for eggs, but there is the possibility of using them for meat down the line. I was originally thinking I'd like to start with 6 chickens, but would be open to up to a dozen perhaps.

Here's what I've narrowed it down to so far:

Well, we only have an acre of land, so I can't do too much multiplying. lol   The coop I'm looking at making will be either 6x12 or 8x12, which I'm hoping will be big enough to expand if we want to eventually start raising some for meat as well. This year it will be eggs only while we learn the ropes, but maybe in the future. All depends on how willing DH is to culling them, I know I wouldn't be able to do it!

I really like the Buff Orpingtons, and maybe some Barred Plymouth Rocks. DS wants at least one EE. Course, Black Australops are pretty too... I have such a hard time deciding on anything! As long as they are cold hardy, good layers, ok meat and docile, I just want a bunch that look different. Variety is the spice of life!   If I could just get 1-2 per breed, that would make things so much easier! If I order 5 for every breed I like, I'm going to be SWIMMING in chickens and no space for them! Plus, I don't want to shell out $100 to only keep a handful of the chicks, yk?  That's why my original list was based of the TSC order form, since they were breeds I knew I could find without paying shipping. Just not sure what to do with all those minimums.  ugh  The only other person I know getting chickens already has hers ordered.

Thank you for the suggestions guys!  All the breeds you listed sound great, really.  I did consider RERs, but can't remember why I crossed them off my list. Same with Dominiques. I hadn't heard of Chanteclers or Buckeyes before, but when looking locally for chicks didn't really see any available for ordering locally.

I've narrowed it down to 5 breeds. So many good sounding breeds that would fit for my needs, I basically wound up choosing what looked pretty.  LOL   My list right now includes Buff Orpingtons, Speckled Sussex, Black Australorps, Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers.  Probably just one EE, it's what the kiddo wants. Don't even have chickens yet (or a coop for that matter!), and he's already named her Clucksy.  :)

Any reasons I SHOULDN'T get any of those breeds? Really I'm just looking for cold hardy gentle birds that will produce decent eggs, breed on their own (well, once we get a roo), and have decent meat on them if we travel down that road. And a variety of feather colors/patterns so I can tell them all apart. Once we get a rooster we'd probably just leave some eggs for the hens and cull any roos once they get old/big enough. Since it'll be a mixed flock we're not going to show or anything, just looking to be more self-sustaining.