Egg, chicken counts mostly fell in February

DES MOINES — Iowa egg production during February 2023 was 988 million eggs, down 6% from last month and down 9% from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The average number of all layers on hand during February 2023 was 43.3 million, up 2% from last month but down 8% from the same month last year. Eggs per 100 layers for February were 2,283, down 9% from last month and down 1% from last February.

United States egg production totaled 8.23 billion during February 2023, down 5% from last year. Production included 7.03 billion table eggs, and 1.19 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.10 billion were broiler-type and 94.0 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during February 2023 totaled 379 million, down 3% from last year. February egg production per 100 layers was 2,171 eggs, down 2% from February 2022.

Total layers in the United States on March 1, 2023, totaled 382 million, down 3% from last year. The 382 million layers consisted of 313 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 64.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 4.01 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on March 1, 2023, averaged 77.4 eggs per 100 layers, down 2% from March 1, 2022.

Egg-type chicks hatched during February 2023 totaled 52.0 million, up slightly from February 2022. Eggs in incubators totaled 54.0 million on March 1, 2023, down 6% from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 230 thousand during February 2023, down 17% from February 2022.

Broiler-type chicks hatched during February 2023 totaled 763 million, up 1% from February 2022. Eggs in incubators totaled 723 million on March 1, 2023, up 1% from a year ago.