Recommend friendly, excellent layers?

[Guavacoop]

We are new to chickens and deciding which breeds to get. We have kids and want 4 chickens that will be docile, friendly, and hold-able, but also really good layers. Plus, a variety of colors/patterns would be nice. The place we're buying the chicks from have these:

Americauna (are there different patterns of Americaunas that we will be able to discern at 2 days old?)
Australorps
Buff Brahma
California White
Sicilian Buttercup
Welsummer

Thanks for any guidance.
Guavacoop

 

[Uriel]

I have Ameracauna hens (no is the answer to your question, it takes a few weeks to see their true color and pattern, it can really surprise you) a bunch of Australorps. and Welsummers. For your friendly/productive ratio, I'd go with Australorps as more reliable layers and ameracaunas as friendliest. I have one Welsummer who is a tad... crazy. Can't beat the chocolate egg color of Welsummers though, and they and Sicilian are probably the 'rarest' of breeds. I've heard Sicilian buttercups are friendly but I'm pretty sure that they're low on the laying scale.