Best recession/depression chicken breed(s)?

For pure efficiency, go with a production strain of leghorn. Eat the least per return in eggs. Eating meat costs more than eggs all around. However, keeping any pet on the small scale properly will almost always cost you more if you are only looking at the $$.

Who can forage for their own food HMM I ask myself that sometimes to. It would not be a large breed or a leghorn but a breed that had a medium body and a medium lay rate. I would think an old american breed that could be fed on a bit of grain and house scraps you should not get to many though because their is only a limited amount of food for them in certain areas. I would think Java's or barred rocks or even delewares might fit the bill.

Henry

Hamburgs for me, hands down.  Totally love to forage, cold and heat tolerant, small bodied, content, quiet, lay medium size eggs nearly every day and very independent and  sweet.  Excellent.

Though I do think that supporting our government's efforts to actually get a puclic works program going may be just as important as growing your own eggs and greens. . .

From What I hear (not experience) Jungle fowl or games are the best as far as forageing for food but they aren't the best layers or even that good of layers. Just from what I have heard and read not from experience.

Heritage breeds that were developed here in the united states by crossing several different breeds.
Here is a short list:
RIR
RIW
Wyndottes
Barred Rock
Iowa Blue
Buckeye
Java
Deleware
These breeds are hardy and good foragers and duel purpose birds !

Henry

I love my RIRs they lay good and free range and are healthy & happy, esp my roo, he loves everyone.He really loves my pitt and  dane, He loves to run them in the house,  marrie

Here ya go...

But I don't know if you can buy 1000s at a time.

Here it is...

Hy-Line Silver Brown

Prolific Producer, Medium sized eggs, Rich Brown Eggs, Heavier mature body weight

Hy-Line Silver Brown is the world's most prolific egg layer.  She produces over 330 rich brown eggs to 74 weeks, peaks in the high-90's and begins lay early with medium egg size.  These traits combined with a heavier mature layer weight, excellent livability and a robust adaptable temperament; give the Hy-Line Silver Brown the perfect balance, in both alternative production systems and intensive production systems.