Top U.S. states based on number of chickens 2023

Iowa had the highest number of chickens of any U.S. state in 2023 with just over 54 million heads. Ohio and Indiana came in second and third place, with around 52 million and 45 million heads respectively. Chickens are one of the most commonly produced livestock in the United States.

Chicken farming

Farming chickens has a distinct advantage over other livestock in that they require relatively little space and minimal initial investment in order to thrive. In the United States, there are two main kinds of farmed chickens: chickens for meat and egg-laying hens. In 2020, there were approximately 518.3 million chickens in the United States.

Poultry consumption

Per capita poultry consumption in the United States is expected to grow slowly in coming years to over 117 pounds per person by 2030. In 2020, the region that spent the most on poultry per consumer unit was the Northeastern United States at 244 U.S. dollars. In comparison, consumer units in the Midwest only spent about 158 U.S. dollars on poultry in that year. When it comes to processed meat and poultry purchases, American consumers tend to prefer national brands to private label.