Chickenology

Pullet: A young female fowl from day-old to 15 months. The pullet year is the most productive of a hen's life. 
Moult: When a pullet stops laying and drops feathers. Occurs around Autumn.
Hen: After the first moult. A hen will lay fewer but bigger eggs. Hens moult annually from Autumn and will stop laying during the moult.
Point-of-lay: When a pullet is ready to start laying. Generally from around 21 weeks of age.
Broody: When a hen stops laying and remains on its eggs to incubate them.

• White Cross: White leghorn/New Hampshire (white egg)
• Black Cross: Australorp/New Hampshire (dark brown egg)
• Red Cross: Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire (light brown egg)
• The white and red crosses are the most popular and are the most prolific layers. The black cross will generally lay the least amount of eggs, however they are a larger egg. The black cross is also the most placid of the three.
• Another bird, of French origin, is the ISA Brown. This is a cross between a Rhode Island Red and Rhode Island White. With production exceeding 300 high quality eggs in the first year and a very good temperament, this cross breed is likely to become exceedingly more common amongst backyards.

The blacks are the most placid of the three crosses. The browns are more outgoing and will investigate what is going on around the yard and will come to people, often pecking at their feet. Of the three, the whites are the most shy but regardless, none of these crosses are aggressive (like some purebred chickens) or too flighty to handle.

http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/2003/archives/2003/roadtests/birds/cross_bred_chooks