The USDA’s September 2024 Chicken and Eggs report revealed key trends in U.S. poultry production. Broiler-type chick hatchings rose by 3% compared to August 2023, while eggs in incubators increased by 4%, indicating steady growth in the broiler sector. Additionally, the placement of pullet chicks intended for future hatchery supply flocks saw a notable 6% increase from last year, highlighting expanding production capacity in the broiler market.
On the egg production front, however, U.S. egg production for August 2024 fell 3% compared to the previous year, totaling 9.08 billion eggs. This included 7.77 billion table eggs and 1.3 billion hatching eggs. The decline was accompanied by a drop in the average number of layers, which stood at 370 million—down 3% from August 2023. Despite the drop in the number of layers, egg production per 100 layers increased slightly, showing efficiency gains in laying hens.
The report also noted that as of September 1, 2024, there were 372 million layers in the U.S., continuing the year-over-year decline. This number includes 307 million layers producing table eggs, 61.6 million producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.66 million egg-type hatching egg layers.
In summary, while broiler production is on the rise, the egg industry is facing some contraction as both the number of layers and total production decrease. These trends highlight a shifting dynamic in the poultry sector as it adjusts to evolving market conditions.
