US: Broiler Market Outlook Week 3, January 20, 2025

Bird flu has wiped out 20 million US chickens , sending egg prices sky-high . A deadly outbreak of bird flu has wreaked havoc on US poultry farms, killing more than 20 million laying hens last quarter, the biggest blow to America's egg supply since the outbreak began in 2022.  

USDA data shows that the staggering losses also include hens culled to contain the virus. That, in turn, has contributed to record high egg prices across all types of production, including conventional, cage-free, and certified organic systems. The federal government has spent $1.25 billion compensating farmers for hens lost to bird flu since the outbreak began, in an effort to encourage farmers to report infections and help stop the spread of the virus, according to a CBS News press release.

Bird flu cases spike in winter when migratory wild birds carry the virus south, where cooler weather helps it spread.

 Dynamics of prices and sales volumes of broilers

Average weighted price of broilers by region

Region

Average weighted price, cents/lb

Sales volume (thousand pounds)

Week 2

Week 3

Growth per week,%

Week 2

Week 3

Growth per week,%

Oriental

132.17

130.64

-1.2%

5 123

4 906

-4.2%

Central

124.02

122.70

-1.1%

2 536

2 335

-7.9%

West

146.32

145.08

-0.8%

3 010

2 961

-1.6%

Dynamics of prices for chicken cuttings

Weekly reviews are available with a subscription.