Only able to get 5 Chickens - help me pick breeds!

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Hi and welcome to BYC! As someone said earlier, Easter Eggers (sometimes confusingly called Americanas) come in a huge range of feather colors, and their egg colors come in all shades from light blue to dark olive. For maximum cuteness, if you choose an EE chick, make sure it has cute puffy feathered cheeks, because some Easter Eggers are smooth-faced. If you want a guaranteed blue egg layer with a cute feathery beard and cheeks, choose a true Ameraucana.

My Welsummers have all been super-friendly and docile, and they lay beautiful dark brown eggs that are usually speckled even darker brown. I also have Cuckoo Marans, and while they have temperaments very similiar to Welsummers, the Marans eggs are not nearly as dark brown in color, they don't lay as well as the Welsummers, and every single Cuckoo Marans I have is frequently broody every year. (Which is great for someone that wants a great mama hen to raise chicks.) My blue Wyandottes and lavender Orpingtons are also very sweet and friendly.

A "breed" no one has mentioned is the various red sexlink varieties such as Red Comet, Gold sexlink, ISA Brown, etc. Their downside is that their high egg production (they lay an extra-large, beautiful golden brown egg nearly every single day) takes a toll on their bodies, and causes them to die much younger than other breeds from various reproductive issues. (Very few of mine have survived past age three.) If you want a long-lived chicken breed, then pass on a red sexlink. Otherwise, my ISA Browns have hands down been my best all-around friendliest; smartest and funniest chicken breed of all.

My Rhode Island Red hens have all been very friendly, while my Buff Orpingtons have been somewhat aloof. (Which proves there are exceptions to every rule, but I appreciate their beauty anyway.) There are so many wonderful breeds to choose from, it's hard to choose just five! Since you can only have 5 hens, I am sure that each one will be very doted on and loved. Some of my hens don't like to be held, but many do. With all the attention your five chickens will receive from you and your family, I'm betting yours will respond by becoming very friendly. Have fun selecting your future flock!
 
For lap chickens, my EEs and my Orpington were the best. However, it's my Speckled Sussex who follows me around.

Regardless of breed, be sure to handle them while they're young! I used to put up a cardboard "fence" on top of an old sheet, and sit inside with them, sometimes feeding cucumber. They'll jump on your legs, try to fly onto your shoulders, and generally use you as a jungle gym. I also sat with them on my lap for as long as they wanted. They are extremely friendly now.
 
Welcome to BYC :frow
As others have said already the friendliness of the bird is individual, but you have some great birds on your list. Definitely get an easter egger: blue eggs, quirky fun personality, and the beard muff combo is adorable!
I adore my easter egger. She is the first one to greet me, follows me everywhere, and will come running when I call her name (Karen). Her eggs are blue with a hint of green. She’s never gone broody and doesn’t bite when she’s in a nest.

Have fun!
 
My barred rock is my calmest friendliest hen. My legbar is sweet but loves to fly and get herself into trouble might not be best to be confined. My Rode island red mixes are mean bullies some people love them but they just seem relentless towards the others. Iv got a blue orphan and she’s nice, but I definitely would not call her cuddly and fact she still won’t let me touch her she’s not mean just doesn’t enjoy human contact. Everyone is individual and their personalities and temperaments. Good luck. Have fun and enjoy your fluffy fuzz balls with whatever you decide
 
I have to put a plug in for the Speckled Sussex. In my first flock, she is by far my friendliest. Next is my Australorps and my Delaware. The reason the Australorps and Delaware are second is because they are aloft, but, they are nice to other chickens and nice to me. However, my Speckled Sussex is that and she follows me around and loves to be held. If you are looking for pretty egg color, my Speckled Sussex lays medium size really like brown eggs that have a pink hint. Also the SS is very cold tolerant but does not do well in the heat. In my second flock, I am finding that my EE's and my Starlight Green Eggers are really friendly. My barred rocks are not very nice. My silkies are really nice but you have to be willing to deal with how often they get broody.
 
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