POULTRY HIGHLIGHTS 



CHICKENS 



The December 1, 1981 inventory of chickens on farms (excluding broilers) in Massachusetts totaled 1.6 mil- 

 lion birds, 10 percent uelow a year ago, and 7 percent below the inventory on December 1, 1979. The inven- 

 tory revealed that the number of hens of laying age on December 1, 1981 increased 1 percent, while the 

 number of pullets of laying age was 23 percent below the 1980 total. Total value of all chickens on hand 

 in the state on December 1 was $4.1 million, slightly lower than the year before. Poultrymen marketed 9.1 

 million pounds of poultry during 1981 at 9.0 cents per pound compared to 6.3 million pounds at 8.3 cents 

 per pound the previous year. 



EGGS 



For the fourth consecutive year, egg production declined as 321 million eggs were produced, 2 percent lower 

 than the previous year and the lowest since 1932. The average daily rate of lay per 100 birds was a record 

 67.4 eggs per day, surpassing the previous record of 67.0 set in 1979. A record 86.0 cents per dozen 

 allowed egg producers to gross 23.0 million dollars, the largest amount since 1969. 



TURKEYS 



Massachusetts fanners during 1981 raised 145,000 turkeys, 19,000 more than the year before. The value of 

 production increased to $2.3 million, due to the increased numbers as the price per pound was U lower than 

 the 1980 average. 



POULTRY: INVENTORY BY CLASS AND VALUE, MASSACHUSETTS, DECEMBER 1, 1970-1981 



YEAR 



CHICKENS, EXCLUDING BROILERS 



HENS AND PULLETS OF 

 LAYING AGE 



HENS 



PULLETS 



PULLETS NOT OF 

 LAYING AGE 



3 MONTHS 

 AND OLDER 



UNDER 3 

 MONTHS 



OTHER 



TOTAL 



VALUE 



PER 



HEAD 



TOTAL 

 VALUE 



13 



