Personally, we really enjoy the following breeds for their temperament and good egg laying qualities:
Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks and Australorps. These birds make up the majority of our flock. We also love a colorful egg basket and always have a few Easter Eggers in our flock for colorful eggs. You really can’t go wrong with a chicken. They are all pretty awesome! Hatchery websites are a great source of information on the literally 100’s of breeds out there. They do a great job of giving an accurate estimate of their rate of lay, temperament and other characteristics.