The latest government figures show that UK poultry meat production edged up in August 2025, even as the number of chicks placed by hatcheries fell compared with the same month last year.
According to the Defra, total poultry meat production rose by 0.8% to 163.7 thousand tonnes.
Commercial layer chick placings fell by 4.2% year on year to 3.2 million, while broiler chick placings dipped 1.5% to 97.5 million. The steepest decline was seen in turkey poult placings, which dropped 39% to just 0.6 million.
Egg setting data also showed a downturn: commercial layer eggs set were down 14% to 7.8 million, and turkey eggs set fell 26% to 1 million. Broiler breeder eggs, however, rose 16% to 6.8 million.
Broiler slaughterings, the largest category, decreased 1.6% to 92.6 million birds. However, turkey slaughterings in August edged up by 1.5% to 0.6 million. Boiling fowl, which includes spent hens and breeders, rose 8.7% to 2.1 million.
Average liveweights remained largely stable, with broilers holding steady at 2.4kg and turkeys at around 14kg.
Broiler meat production, which dominates the sector, grew 0.8% to 155 thousand tonnes. Turkey meat rose 2.3% to 5.8 thousand tonnes, while boiling fowl production slipped 1.7% to 2.6 thousand tonnes.
Overall, Defra said that the balance of fewer chick placings but slightly higher weights and slaughtering levels resulted in stable output.