Help in choosing the right chicks?

[hannahrose894]

I am a total newbie at chickens, and am trying to decide which breed would be right for me. I have researched a while online and came up with a list, but I don't know where to go from there! I am looking to buy to hens for egg production (preferably brown eggs, but that doesn't really matter) that are fairly calm, are very winter-hardy, can do fairly well in a smaller grazing area (my backyard) and are fun and maybe even good around children. I live in northern Indiana where the weather fluxuates greatly, and will not be able to heat their coop. THis is what I have come up with so far:
Welsummer
Ameraucana
Australorp
Barnevelder
Delaware
Dominique
Araucana
Orpington
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island
Star
Sussex
Wyandotte

Any suggestions or comments would be amazingly appreciated!!

 

[Chickengal505]

I LOVE my golden buffs! They get pretty big but a socal and pretty there calm and have LOTS of feathers!

 

[Willow's Meadow]

What about Buff orpingtons and Brahmas!! They match your little list perfectly! They lay lots of brown eggs, are kid friendly, calm, bear confinment well and don't mind the cold! Look them up on the breed list!

 

[JLS]

I live in Maine and I do not heat my coop. That being said, I love my buff orpingtons...but a few of them did get frost bite on their combs and wattles. Therefore I have decided to buy only breeds that have rose or pea combs (of course I will keep my BO's). My new babies arriving on 6/7/10 are Americaunas and Wyandottes. I have Faverolles too, they are great layers but a bit skittish

 

[chickencoop13]

we live in nh and got light brahmas easter eggers (ees) and production reds. we have some nh reds which is like a rhode island that have done good in the winter but also dominiques have done great

 

[speckledhen]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=346820

Please post a question in only one area of the forum at a time.