U.S. total broiler slaughter for the week ending January 26 is estimated by USDA-AMS’s Poultry Market News Service to be 150,552,000 broilers, a 1-percent decrease from the same week a year earlier.

The 1-percent decrease in slaughter compares with a 1-percent increase in eggs set in 19 states, 10 weeks earlier, and no change in chicks placed 7 weeks earlier in 19 states.

Week ending Data from 19 states
Eggs set Chicks placed Eggs set Chicks placed
change from change from 10 weeks previous 7 weeks previous U.S. broilers slaughtered
1 year 2 years 1 year 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year
– 000 – % % – 000 – % % – 000 – % – 000 – % – 000 – %
December
8 190,428 98 93 163,298 100 97 185,350 102 154,264 102 153,222 101
15 195,792 101 95 163,196 101 97 187,879 101 156,731 102 152,381 102
22 197,034 101 96 167,066 103 98 181,818 100 152,067 102 155,551 114 *
29 195,589 101 95 159,188 98 95 178,135 97 147,771 97 115,385 91 *
January
5 196,730 102 97 163,478 101 97 187,104 101 155,895 102 130,573 103
12 196,632 102 97 163,925 101 97 180,603 97 151,738 97 158,856 103
19 197,884 101 95 162,220 101 96 190,391 98 159,419 99 151,093 103 **
25 196,628 101 163,298 100 150,552 99  

Note: Data in bold is subject to weekly revisions. All percentage changes are compared with year earlier.

* In December 2011, Christmas was observed on Sunday, December 25.  A number of processing plants did not operate or operated on a reduced work schedule on the Friday prior to Christmas.
** In 2012, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday was observed during the week of January 15.  In 2013, it was observed during the week of January 20.  Processing plants operating schedules are affected by the observation of the federal holiday.