Turkey Hatchery - Release

Turkey Hatchery
ISSN: 1949-1964
Released June 14, 2024, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Eggs in Incubators on June 1 Down 16 Percent from Last Year
Turkey eggs in incubators on June 1, 2024 in the United States totaled 23.0 million, down 16 percent from June 1, 2023.
Eggs in incubators were down 8 percent from the May 1, 2024 total of 25.0 million eggs.
Poults Hatched During May Down 8 Percent from Last Year
Turkey poults hatched during May 2024 in the United States totaled 21.8 million, down 8 percent from May 2023. Poults
hatched were up 2 percent from the April 2024 total of 21.4 million poults.
Net Poults Placed During May Down 8 Percent from Last Year
The 20.6 million net poults placed during May 2024 in the United States were down 8 percent from the number placed
during the same month a year earlier. Net poult placements were up 2 percent from the April 2024 total of 20.1 million.

Net Poult Placements – United States
Million poults
24
23
22
21
20
19
2023

2024

18
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Eggs in Incubators and Poults Hatched by Month – United States: 2022-2024
[Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun]
Month

September ...............
October ....................
November ................
December ................
January ....................
February ..................
March .......................
April .........................
May ..........................
June .........................
July ..........................
August .....................

Eggs in incubators first of month

Poults hatched entire month

2022-2023

2023-2024

Percent of
previous year

2022-2023

2023-2024

Percent of
previous year

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(percent)

(1,000 poults)

(1,000 poults)

(percent)

27,508
26,648
26,479
26,595
27,284
27,608
26,757
26,389
27,625
27,455
26,984
27,208

26,636
27,010
25,537
25,346
24,945
25,422
24,689
26,341
25,003
22,964

97
101
96
95
91
92
92
100
91
84

22,254
22,454
22,615
22,853
23,399
21,700
23,619
21,115
23,576
23,976
22,627
23,451

21,571
22,665
21,668
21,671
21,527
20,274
21,676
21,366
21,757

97
101
96
95
92
93
92
101
92

Net Poult Placements by Month – United States: 2022-2024
[Includes imports and excludes exports. Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun]
Month

September ...............
October ....................
November ................
December ................
January ....................
February ..................
March .......................
April .........................
May ..........................
June .........................
July ..........................
August .....................

2

Total all breeds

Cumulative total

2022-2023

2023-2024

Percent of
previous year

2022-2023

2023-2024

Percent of
previous year

(1,000 poults)

(1,000 poults)

(percent)

(1,000 poults)

(1,000 poults)

(percent)

19,763
20,472
20,802
20,955
21,582
19,871
21,912
19,919
22,295
23,095
22,447
22,429

19,091
20,645
19,934
19,807
19,795
18,542
20,246
20,105
20,590

97
101
96
95
92
93
92
101
92

19,763
40,235
61,037
81,992
103,574
123,445
145,357
165,276
187,571
210,666
233,113
255,542

19,091
39,736
59,670
79,477
99,272
117,814
138,060
158,165
178,755

97
99
98
97
96
95
95
96
95

Turkey Hatchery (June 2024)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: Data for turkey hatchery estimates are collected from all known turkey hatcheries. Individual NASS
regional field offices maintain a list of all known turkey hatcheries and use known sources of hatcheries to update their
lists. Approximately 40 hatcheries in 20 states are contacted each month. All known turkey hatcheries hatching 15,000 or
more poults annually are mailed a questionnaire as close to the first of the month as possible. Adequate time is given to
respond via mail, fax, or electronic data reporting. Those that do not respond are contacted by phone. Care is exercised to
ensure that all hatcheries are accounted for in the estimate.
Estimating Procedures: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data
are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends
from similar operations. Data for missing operations were estimated based on similar operations or historical data. NASS
regional field offices prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and historic trends. Individual
State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural Statistics Board for reasonableness. Individual hatchery data are summed
to State, regional, and United States totals. Only United States level estimates are published due to the limited number of
hatcheries involved. The Net Poult Placement data include imported poults and exclude exported poults.
Cumulative net poult placements beginning on September 1 and ending on August 31 are shown in the monthly Turkey
Hatchery report. This time period corresponds with the placements of poults which will reach maturity and be available
for slaughter during the calendar year.
Revision Policy: Revisions are generally the result of late or corrected data. Revisions to the previous month are
published in the monthly Turkey Hatchery report, while annual revisions are published in the Hatchery Production Annual Summary report in April.
Reliability: Turkey hatchery estimates are based on a census of all known operating hatcheries and therefore, have no
sampling error. However, estimates are subject to errors such as omission, duplication, and mistakes in reporting,
recording, and processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized through strict
quality controls in the data collection process and through a careful review of all reported data for consistency and
reasonableness.
To assist in evaluating the reliability of the estimates in this report, the “Root Mean Square Error” is shown for selected
items in the following table. The “Root Mean Square Error” is a statistical measure based on past performance and is
computed using the differences between first and final estimates. The “Root Mean Square Error” for turkey eggs in
incubators on the first day of the month over the past 24 months is 2.2 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that
the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 23.0 million eggs by more than 2.2 percent. Chances
are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 3.7 percent.

Reliability of June Turkey Hatchery Estimates
[Based on data for the past 24 months]
Item

Difference between first and latest estimate

Root mean
square error

90 percent
confidence
level

Average

Smallest

Largest

(percent)

(percent)

(1,000)

(1,000)

(1,000)

Months
Below latest

Above latest

(number)

(number)

Eggs in incubators ......................................

2.2

3.7

396

13

2,202

12

12

Poults hatched ............................................

0.9

1.5

135

2

514

14

10

Net poult placements ..................................

1.0

1.7

156

2

526

11

13

Turkey Hatchery (June 2024)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Information Contacts
Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to
contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@usda.gov
Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ......................................................................................................... (202) 692-0069
Vacant, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section
Holly Brenize – Poultry Slaughter ............................................................................................................. (202) 720-0585
Liana Cuffman – Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture ......................................................... (202) 720-8784
Fatema Haque – Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ................................................................................. (202) 720-3244
Derron Martin – Chicken Hatchery, Egg Products .................................................................................... (202) 690-3237
Seth Riggins – Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ............................................................................................ (202) 690-4870
Shulonda Shaw – Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses ................................................... (202) 720-3240
Autumn Stone – Layers, Eggs .................................................................................................................. (202) 690-3676
Takiyah Walker – Broiler Hatchery........................................................................................................... (202) 720-6147

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