Broiler Chick Placements August-September-July 2025.
According to the September 24th 2025 USDA Broiler Hatchery Report, 1.239 million eggs were set over five weeks extending from August 23rd 2025 through September 20th 2025 inclusive. This was three percent higher compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
Total chick placements for the U.S. over the five-week period amounted to 971.0 million chicks. Claimed hatchability for the period averaged 79.7 percent for eggs set three weeks earlier. Each 1.0 percent change in hatchability represents approximately 1.94 million chicks placed per week and 1.84 million broilers processed, assuming five percent culls and mortality and within the current range of weekly settings.
Cumulative chick placements for the period January 7th through December 30th 2024 amounted to 9.67 billion chicks. For January 4th through September 20th 2025 chick placements attained 7.32 billion, up one percent from the corresponding week in 2024.
According to the September 22nd 2025 edition of USDA Chickens and Eggs, pullet breeder chicks hatched and intended for U.S. placement during August 2025 amounted to 8.24 million, down 5.3 percent (0.46 million pullet chicks) from August 2024 and 0.7 percent (61,000 pullet chicks) less than the previous month of July 2025. Broiler breeder hen complement attained 59.94 million on September 1st 2025, 2.5 percent (1.56 million hens) down from September 1st 2024 and 0.3 percent (180,000 hens) lower than August 1st 2025.
Broiler Production September 2025
As documented in the September 25th 2025 USDA Weekly Poultry Slaughter Reports for the processing week ending September 20th 2025, 175.0 million broilers were processed at 6.70 lbs. live. This was 2.5 percent more than the 170.8 million processed during the corresponding week in September 2024. Broilers processed in 2025 to date amounted to 6,242 million, 2.1 percent more than for the corresponding period in 2024.
Ready to cook (RTC) weight for the most recent week in September was 903.0 million lbs. (410,462 metric tons). This was 3.8 percent more than the 870.0 million lbs. during the corresponding week in September 2024. Dressing percentage was a nominal 76.0 percent. For 2025 to date RTC broiler production attained 31,704 million lbs. (15.078 million metric tons). This quantity was 3.5 percent more than for the corresponding period in 2024.
The USDA posted live-weight data for the past week ending September 20th and YTD 2025 including:-
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Live Weight Range (lbs.)
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<4.25
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4.26-6.25
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6.26-7.25
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>7.76
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Proportion past week (%)
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14
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28
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28
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30
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Change from 2020 YTD (%)
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-8
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+2
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0
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+11
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September 2025 Frozen Inventory
According to the September 25th 2025 USDA Cold Storage Report, issued monthly, stocks of broiler products as of August 31st 2025 compared to August 31st 2024 showed differences with respect to the following categories:-
- Total Chicken category attained 790.9 million lbs. (359.5 thousand metric tons) corresponding to approximately one week of production based on recent weekly RTC output. The August 2025 inventory was up 4.3 percent compared to 758,551 million lbs. (344.8 thousand metric tons) on August 31st 2024 and up 1.9 percent from the previous month of July 2025.
- Leg Quarters were down 9.0 percent to 56.9 million lbs. compared to August 31st 2024 consistent with the data on exports. Inventory was up 2.0 percent from July 31st 2025. Given the trend in inventory of leg quarters it is evident that this category continues to be shipped in varying quantities as the principal (96 percent) chicken export product to a number of nations with the top five importers representing 51.1 percent of the January-July 2025 export total of 1,768,136 metric tons of chicken parts. The top ten importing nations represented 66.5 percent of broiler exports with Mexico was the leading importer followed by Cuba Taiwan, the Philippines, and Canada.
- The Breasts and Breast Meat category was up 17.1 percent from August 31st 2024 to 240.5 million lbs. indicating a relatively lower domestic consumer demand for this category despite concern over inflation in the cost of alternative proteins. August 31st 2025 stock was 1.1 percent lower than on July 31st 2025. The trend through the first eight months of 2025 suggests stable but low retail and food service demand for the white meat category. This is despite promotion of chicken sandwiches and wraps by QSRs in the face of a higher cost for beef coupled with an increasing pattern of eat-at-home consumption.
- Total inventory of dark meat (drumsticks legs, thighs and thigh quarters but excluding leg quarters) on August 31st 2025 decreased 2.9 percent from August 31st 2024 to 60.9 million lbs. This difference suggests an increase in domestic demand for lower-priced dark meat against the prevailing price of white chicken meat. Higher prices for competitive proteins offer an opportunity to increase domestic demand for this category with innovative product development and promotion.
- Wings showed a 7.2 percent decrease from August 2024, contributing to a stock of 55.4 million lbs. Inventory of wings was 5.7 percent higher compared to July 2025. Movement in stock over the past 12 months has demonstrated lower demand for this category due in part from competitive “boneless wings.” Increased consumption traditionally associated with significant sports events including the College and Super Bowls reduced the volumes of storage in January and February 2025. The progressive increase in unit price during 2024 plateaued in 2025 due to consumer fatigue and competition from competing protein snacks despite continued interest in professional and collegiate football.
- The inventory of Paws and Feet was 4.7 percent higher than on August 31st 2024 to 29.9 million lbs. Stock was was 9.6 percent higher than on July 31st 2025. Prior to the April 2020 Phase-1 Trade Agreement approximately half of the shipments of paws and feet destined for Hong Kong were landed and transshipped to the Mainland, a trend that is re-emerging.
- The Other category comprising 330.0 million lbs. on August 31st 2025 was down 1.0 percent from August 2024 but represented a substantial 41.7 percent of inventory. The high proportion of the Other category suggests further classification or re-allocation by USDA to the designated major categories.
August 2025 Processed Broiler Production
The USDA Poultry Slaughter Report released on September 25th 2025 covered August 2025 comprising 21 working days, one less than August 2024. The following values were documented for the month:-
- A total of 797.2 million broilers were processed in August 2025, down 17.1 million or 2.1 percent from August 2024;
- Total live weight in August 2025 was 5,304 million lbs., down 38.7 million lbs. or 0.7 percent from August 2024;
- Unit live weight in August 2025 was 6.65 lbs., up 0.09lb. (1.4 percent) from August 2024.
- RTC in August 2025 attained 4,021 million lbs., down 17.8 million lbs. or 0.4 percent from August 2004.
- WOG yield in August 2025 was 75.8 percent, up from 75.6 percent in August 2024.
- The proportion marketed as chilled in August 2025 comprised 93.4 percent of RTC output compared to 93.6 percent in August 2024.
- Ante-mortem condemnation as a proportion of live weight attained 0.19 percent during August 2025 unchanged from 0.19 percent in August 2024.
- Post-mortem condemnations as a proportion of processed mass corresponded to 0.43 percent during August 2025 compared to 0.44 percent in August 2024.
Comments
Mexico has recognized the OIE principle of regionalization after intensive negotiations between SENASICA and the U.S. counterpart, USDA-APHIS assisted by USAPEEC. Provided importing nations adhere to OIE guidelines on regionalization, localized outbreaks of avian influenza or possibly Newcastle disease will affect exports only from states or counties with outbreaks in commercial flocks. The response of China, Japan and some other nations is less predictable with bans placed on a nationwide or statewide basis. The response by China to outbreaks is influenced more by self-interest than considerations of scientific fact or international trade obligations. Other importing nations have confined restrictions to counties following the WOAH principle of regionalization. The challenge facing the U.S. as the second largest exporting nation after Brazil, will be to gain acceptance for controlled vaccination against HPAI in specific industry sectors and regions with appropriate surveillance and certification to the satisfaction of importing nations.