In 2022, about 598 million hatched broiler chickens died or were killed (and were not slaughtered for human meat consumption).[1-3]
In 2023, about 547 million hatched broiler chickens died or were killed before slaughter.[1-3]
The National Chicken Council (NCC) estimates broiler mortality rates in 2022 at 5.3% and in 2023 at 5.7%.[4]
USDA NASS (2024) Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1476, pp. 6-7. USDA NASS (2024) Poultry Slaughter 2023 Summary, ISSN: 2159-7480, p. 5; [Calculation for 2022: 10,028,809,000 broiler eggs hatched minus total broilers slaughtered 9,431,005,000 == 597,804,000. For 2023: 9,928,661,000 broiler eggs hatched minus total broilers slaughtered 9,381,211,000 == 547,450,000.]
The USDA collects annual hatchery data for broiler-type chicks “from all known hatcheries which have the capacity to hold at least 1,000 chicken and/or turkey eggs.” “Care is exercised to ensure that all sampled hatcheries are accounted for in the estimate.” [Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, p. 38.]
Many of the calculations of animals dying before slaughter are broad estimates based on the different types of information available and with an understanding that animal inventory levels change from year to year, and animals born in a certain year do not necessarily die (one way or another) in the same year. Broiler chicks are hatched for different reasons, mostly as “meat” chickens, but also as breeder broiler chickens, and for use in research (see p. 38 of Hatchery Production Summary). If the animals do not end up in the final slaughter figures they are presumably dying of another cause and therefore are included in these figures. Given the short lives of commercial poultry, these should be reasonable estimates, especially when averaging figures over a 2-year period.
National Chicken Council (February 2024) U.S. Broiler Performance. https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/statistic/us-broiler-performance/ [NCC does not give backup information for these percentages other than noting that “All data are from USDA or other reliable source.” Their slightly lower overall figures may not account for chicks culled prior to placement on factory farms. According to the USDA, new-born chicks “are graded into first quality or culls. Chicks that possess anatomical deformities, partially closed navels, crooked toes, excessively wet down, or twisted legs are culled.” (USDA (2013) Poultry Industry Manual, Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (FAD PReP), p. 18]
In 2022, approximately 307 million day-old male chicks were killed, a little less than half of the total chicks hatched.[1]
In 2023, approximately 312 million day-old male chicks were killed.[1]
The ratio of male-female chicks produced by breeders of laying hens is understood to be one-to-one.[2,3]
With that ratio, almost half of all chicks produced by breeders of egg-laying hens are killed each year. This is because “there is currently no economically worthwhile use of the male offspring of layers” who cannot lay eggs.[4]
A small percentage of male chicks are not killed and are instead used as breeders in the broiler industry with a smaller percentage of males used as breeders in the egg-laying hen industry.[5,6]
In the future, it is possible that new in-ovo sexing technology will be used in the U.S. (now only being used in Europe). The technology can detect male embryos of egg-laying hens before they hatch, which avoids culling the chicks after hatching.[7] At least two U.S. companies have plans to implement this technology.[8,9]
USDA NASS (2024) Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1476, p. 33. [Calculation based on 50% of egg-type (layer) chicks hatched (627,681,000 in 2022 and 638,220,000 in 2023) minus about 7 million male chicks used as breeders. See footnote 5.]
Jeanna Wilson (2013) Incubation temperature does not influence sex ratio in meat-type chickens. College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences website, Univ of Georgia Research. [“Sex ratio at hatch usually is very close to 1:1 with 50 females hatching for every 50 male chicks.”]
Kaleta, E.F. & Redmann, T. (2008) Approaches to determine the sex prior to and after incubation of chicken eggs and of day-old chicks. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 64(3) 391 [“Domestic chickens produce eggs that contain at almost equal proportions female and male embryos.”]
Krautwald-Junghanns, M. et al., (2018). Current approaches to avoid the culling of day-old male chicks in the layer industry, with special reference to spectroscopic methods. Poultry Science, 97(3), 749–757.
USDA NASS (2024) Chickens and Eggs 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1948-9056, p. 11. [We estimate that ~7 million male chicks were not killed each year. In November 2023 there were ~62.7 million female broiler breeders and 3.7 million female egg-laying hen parents in inventory, ~66.4 million total. These require roosters at ~10 to 1 ratio to generate fertilized eggs for hatchery supply. The U.S. Census of Ag 2022 notes rooster inventory of 7.7 million roosters, reasonably close to 10 to 1. Broiler breeder roosters and hens live a little more than a year.]
USDA (2013) Poultry Industry Manual, Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (FAD PReP), pp. 12-14. [Implies that both male and female breeding parents are culled at a little over one year old (approx. 65 weeks), and the ratio of roosters to hens is recommended at ~10 to 1.] Confirmation of culling broiler hens at ~65 weeks is noted in: Alabama Cooperative Extension (2022), New Farmer’s Guide to the Commercial Broiler Industry: Poultry Husbandry & Biosecurity Basics, pp. 2-3. [20-22 weeks on pullet farm plus 45 weeks on breeder farm.]
Xie, C., et al., (2023). A review of the recent advances for the in ovo sexing of chicken embryos using optical sensing techniques. Poultry Science, 102(10), 102906–102906.
Meredith Dawson (September 13, 2024) NestFresh to offer in-ovo sexed eggs in US market in 2025, Watt Poultry.
https://www.wattagnet.com/egg/news/15683907/nestfresh-to-offer-inovo-sexed-eggs-in-us-market-in-2025Meredith Dawson (December 25, 2024) Respeggt in-ovo sexing technology coming to the US soon, Watt Poultry.
https://www.wattagnet.com/egg/news/15711028/respeggt-inovo-sexing-technology-coming-to-the-us-soon
In both 2022 and 2023, more than 500 million egg-laying type birds died or were killed (and not slaughtered for human meat consumption).[1,2] This includes more than 60% of the egg-laying hens (so-called “spent hens”) who are not slaughtered for human meat consumption plus the male chicks slaughtered at birth. Along with table-egg laying hens, the females also include breeders of table-egg layers as well as larger numbers of broiler breeders.
Most “spent hens” are not considered suitable for human consumption when they are no longer valued for egg production. A high percentage of hens die or are destroyed in the egg production facility or are rendered for animal feed or pet food.[3] The majority of spent hens that make it onto the slaughter line for human consumption are broiler chicken breeders, since they are larger birds of a type raised for meat.[4]
Calculation for both years is made by subtracting egg-laying type chickens slaughtered for human meat consumption from total hatched. 2023: hatched (638,220,000) – slaughtered (120,400,000) = 517,820,000 / 638,220,000 == 81.1%. [USDA NASS (2024) Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1476, p. 7; USDA NASS (2024) Poultry Slaughter 2023 Summary, ISSN: 2159-7480, p. 5]
These are broad estimates based on the understanding that animal inventory levels change from year to year, and animals born in a certain year do not necessarily die (one way or another) in the same year. If the animals do not end up in the final slaughter figures they are presumably dying of another cause and therefore are included in these figures. Given the short lives of commercial poultry, looking at figures over a 2-year period should provide reasonable estimates.
Chris Harris (2019) Finding the value in processing spent laying hens, The Poultry Site. https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/finding-the-value-in-processing-spent-laying-hens
Poultry Slaughter 2023 Summary, p. 5. “Mature Heavy” chickens (86.5 million) versus “Mature Light” (33.9 million) = 72%
In 2022, about 64 million turkeys, or ~24% of poults hatched, died or were killed (and not sent to slaughter for human meat consumption).[1,2]
In 2023, about 55 million turkeys died or were killed before slaughter. This is ~20% of poults hatched.[1,2]
Turkey poults are susceptible to high mortality rates, particularly in the first week of life.[3] A digestive tract disease known as poult enteritis mortality syndrome (PEMS) is the most prevalent cause of death.[4]
Calculation is made by subtracting turkeys slaughtered from the number of turkey poults hatched, then dividing by the number hatched. [Turkey poults hatched 2023 = 271,038,000 (USDA NASS Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1476, p. 36. Turkeys slaughtered 2023 = 215,992,000 (USDA NASS Poultry Slaughter 2023 Summary, ISSN: 2159-7480, p. 5 = 55,046,000 / 271,038,000 == 20.31%]
These are broad estimates based on the understanding that animal inventory levels change from year to year, and animals born in a certain year do not necessarily die (one way or another) in the same year. Given the relatively short life spans of commercial turkeys, most birds will be born and die in the same calendar year and a 2-year average should provide a reasonably accurate estimate. National Turkey Federation, Raising America’s Turkeys. https://www.eatturkey.org/raising-turkeys/ [“A hen usually takes 14 weeks and weighs 15.5 pounds when processed, but a tom takes roughly 18 weeks to reach a market weight of 38 pounds.”]
Roehrig, C., & Torrey, S. (2019). Mortality and Early Feeding Behavior of Female Turkey Poults During the First Week of Life. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6, 129–129.
Shehata, A.A. et al., (2021) Poult Enteritis and Mortality Syndrome in Turkey Poults: Causes, Diagnosis and Preventive Measures, Animals, 11, 2063.
In 2022, approximately 1.17 billion commercial poultry (i.e., broiler chickens, egg-laying hens, and turkeys) died or were killed prior to slaughter. The rate of death was ~10.8%.
In 2023, approximately 1.12 billion commercial poultry (i.e., broiler chickens, egg-laying hens, and turkeys) died or were killed prior to slaughter. The rate of death was ~10.3%.[1]
Many birds died slowly – of disease, starvation, thirst, wounds, exhaustion, lameness, cannibalism, the heat, or the cold. They died in fires, on transport trucks, in mass on-farm slaughters, or in macerators on the day they were born. The total figure equals more than three birds for every American, every year.
2022 total hatched = 10,928,893,000; 2023 total hatched = 10,837,919,000. See questions and answers above for calculations and references. The number of birds slaughtered includes post-mortem condemnations. [USDA NASS (2024) Poultry Slaughter 2023 Summary, ISSN: 2159-7480, p. 34]
Yes, there are many other poultry types not included here, including commercially raised ducks. But without data on both the number of other poultry types hatched and an accounting of other poultry types slaughtered, it’s hard to estimate. The USDA publishes in its annual hatchery report only the number of broiler chickens, egg-laying hens, and turkeys hatched.[1,2]
USDA NASS (April 2024) Hatchery Production 2023 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1476.
USDA (2024) 2022 Census of Agriculture, AC-22-A-51, Table 30. [The Census provides an opaque figure of 11.6 billion total poultry hatched, which presumably includes commercial poultry and other types such as pheasants, quail, partridge, and roosters. This figure would indicate that about 450 million poultry other than broiler, egg-type, and turkey chicks hatched in 2022. This seems to be an inexplicably large number given that the other poultry sold in 2022 was well under 100 million (many of these poultry types are raised for game hunting). A reply to our inquiry to the USDA hatchery division did not explain this large discrepancy. Any further info would be welcome.]