Newbie...help me decide: Ameraucana/Road Island Red/Bard Rock/Buff Orpington/Black Sex Link?

Brahmas are good winter layers but I see they didn't make you list.
I'm guessing this is why the list is so short:

The five breeds are what the local country store offers.
I'm sure the store has those breeds because they are popular, and they tend to do well for many people. All of them are good choices.

Ameraucana (or Easter Egger): usually lays blue or green eggs (a few hens may lay brown instead). The chicks & adults come in many colors. They usually don't lay as many eggs as some of the others.

The other four breeds lay brown eggs.

The Barred Rocks are probably a little bit bigger and produce a little more meat than the others, but are still good egg layers. People who want chickens for eggs AND meat might choose them.

The Black Sexlinks are a hybrid that lays lots of eggs.
The Rhode Island Reds are a pure breed that lays lots of eggs.
These two are probably the best layers of the options. Other than color, I think they are very similar to each other.

The Buff Orpingtons don't lay quite as many eggs, are more likely to go broody and try to hatch eggs, and have a reputation as friendly birds. When someone has multiple breeds in a flock, I think it's common for Buff Orpingtons to be the favorite. (Of course that's not always the case, because different people have different preferences.)

Personally, I think the Buff Orpingtons look prettier than the other breeds you listed, so I'd include at least one of them in your flock ;)
 
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I do not recommend black sex links. I have two, never had them before. But I also currently have three chickens in quarantine because all three have been pecked by the black sex links. And my black sex links will chase the other chickens around to steal their food. After the injured chickens get better, I will put the sex links in the dog crates to lower the pecking order. If that doesn't work, I will be culling them
 

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