There aren't many healthy birds from the midsize and smaller groups that are bad foragers. It's silly to say absolutely that this breed or that breed is bad at it - or better than others.
Egg laying is another matter and is easily defined. However, this trait is VERY much dependent on the food the bird receives on a regular schedule. Egg laying is quite demanding of the hen and requires your continued awareness of her needs.
If your friend is expecting to rely on that old, too-often repeated fallacy about "free-rangin for their dinner" ...well, I suspect she will not find any breed that will measure up.
In reality, your friend is looking to have her cake and eat it, too. Bad idea.
So, select for egg laying ability first. Then know that any health mid-sized utility breed will have little trouble out and about during the day (as opposed to scrounging for subsistence bug-meals). There's a reason why they are called "utility" birds.
For ages, one of the following were recommended for the home small flock. I call them the "Big Five" and see little reason to go elsewhere for a dual-purpose bird:
1. Barred Rocks (or any Rock breed)
2. RIR
3. NHR
4. Wyandotte's
5. Austrolorp
These have all been considered standards in the egg laying department at one time or another, besides being great all around birds. The Austrolorp has held the worlds record many times over and is the "newcomer" in the group. They breed true as opposed to hybrids, which do not, and have winning, docile characters. Besides, it's nearly always in your best interests to concentrate on a quality flock of one mid-sized breed.
I DID NOT recommend one of the mediterranean breeds (Leghorn's, Minorcas, Lanconas, etc) because, in general, they have twitchy, nervous dispositions. They are not the best at confinement nor suffer much handling well. The ones I've ever known were not at all tolerant of me, and ran in blind panic anytime I came near the chicken yard. They would even wait until l left to eat.
Balance this flightiness with the fact that they are the champions at white-egg laying and are sprightly foragers, although they have a tendency to run off at slight provocations.
Take one or two of the Big Five. I like GL Wy's and A-lorps.
