The State of the US Poultry Market: An In-Depth Look at Chicken, Turkey, and Egg Trends

We are thrilled to welcome Jonathan Sachs as our new Beef Product Specialist. With a passion for quality cuts, deep knowledge of supply chains and sustainable practices, and years of experience in food science and product development, Jonathan brings the expertise that elevates every step from pasture to plate. In his blog, he’ll be sharing insights on everything from breed selection and butchery techniques to flavor pairings and recently emerging trends in the beef industry.

As one of the most dynamic segments in American agriculture, the US poultry market remains a focal point for producers, retailers, and consumers alike. Shaped by shifting demand patterns, evolving supply chains, and periodic market shocks, the poultry sector continuously adjusts to balance production, pricing, and consumer needs. This report offers a timely analysis of the three key pillars of the US poultry market — chicken, turkey, and eggs — as we move through the heart of the fall and into the crucial holiday season.

Chicken Market: Balancing Act Amidst Varied Sentiment

The US chicken market is currently navigating a landscape marked by cautious optimism and selective firmness across different product lines.

Bone-In Breasts Hold Steady, While Boneless Breasts Show Consistency

Chicken bone-in breasts and front halves are currently rated as balanced. Sellers, confident in the underlying demand, are holding production steady to support price points. In contrast, the boneless breast segment has continued the trajectory experienced for much of the week, with limited deviation or price activity. Spot demand across major sales channels remains moderate, and most negotiations and bookings have landed within a supportive price range, indicating some price resilience even amidst variability elsewhere.

Sellers with boxed production reportedly exude more confidence, leveraging inventory flexibility, compared to those operating primarily in combo bins, where exposure to price shifts may be greater. Overall, tenders—an ever-popular component in foodservice and retail—are holding steady, with prices well-established and accepted by market players.

Wings: A Tale of Two Markets

Jumbo whole and party wings are struggling to find upward momentum. Despite fair demand levels and supplies deemed fully adequate, sellers appear to have little negotiating power, often accepting modestly lower bids to keep product moving. Meanwhile, medium and small-sized wings are performing better, with steady to stable pricing, suggesting that the market is drawing a line between high-end and commodity categories in this product group.

Chunk and Trim Meats: Steady as They Go

Chunk and trim chicken meats have closed the week without fanfare. The outlook here is pragmatic and steady, and market participants await new bids, offers, and sales to drive the next move.

The Dark Meat Complex: Divergent Dynamics

Turning to the less glamorous — but critically important — back half of the bird, legs and leg quarters are both trading at supportive levels, buoyed by moderate spot demand. However, thighs and drumsticks are finishing the week on less certain ground, with both supply and demand fluctuating by operator and region. As a result, there may be short-term volatility, particularly for buyers seeking consistency in supply.

Thigh meat and leg meat, in contrast, appear more stable, with a fair balance of supply and demand keeping pricing in a predictable band. These segments continue to benefit from strong demand in certain foodservice channels, particularly as more consumers turn to comfort food and value-driven purchases amidst broader economic uncertainty.

Turkey Market: Tight Supply Bolsters Prices, but Exports Lag

Few proteins are as closely associated with the American holiday season as turkey — and 2026 is shaping up to be a seller’s market, at least for now.

Whole Bird Availability: Scarce and Premium-Priced

Spot availability of both fresh and frozen whole turkeys remains exceptionally slim. Any remaining volumes are being held for sale at steep premiums. Negotiations, however, are described as “quiet” — implying that buyers are conscious of the high prices and limited leverage, while sellers see little incentive to move product below expectation.

Both consumer-sized and institutional breast markets mirror this pattern, with all parts well-cleared and any new production being quickly snapped up, sometimes at premiums.

Breast Meat, Tenderloins, and Specialized Cuts

Buyers’ focus remains trained on drums, wings, and two-joint turkey parts, while necks generate mild interest. The drum and wing lines are seeing the strongest activity, and any spot market production finds eager buyers at or above listed prices.

Breast meat lines — both fresh and frozen — are trading steady to full steady, buoyed by limited volumes and firm demand. Tenders, meanwhile, are scarce in spot markets but are being actively pursued where available.

Other specialized cuts, such as breast trim, scapula, and wing meat, are in short supply relative to demand. Notable, but not market-changing, price movements occasionally surface in these segments, while others like Mechanically Separated Turkey (MST), particularly the frozen variety, show little price variability due to limited visibility and transactional volume.

Export Trends: Soft Amid Domestic Strength

Despite robust domestic interest, export sales have remained notably muted, due largely to ongoing disease concerns (avian influenza, for example) and strong home-market demand. The exception appears to be an uptick in interest from Mexico for some production lines, reflecting cross-border interdependencies and shifting international flows.

Egg Market: Strong Retail Demand Around the Holidays

The onset of the holiday season brings familiar patterns to the US egg industry, with retail demand surging as Thanksgiving draws near.

Retail-Ready Product in Short Supply

Egg suppliers are largely focused on meeting regular retail accounts, with little left for the spot market. Surplus retail-ready products, particularly in the large size category, are trading at marked premiums. Retail-ready packs are enjoying the strongest positions, as both grocers and direct-to-consumer channels stock up for holiday-driven buying sprees.

On the distribution side, some accounts have found better success in securing loose eggs, albeit at prices that, while still elevated, have not kept pace with the surging retail-ready market.

Breaking Stock and Liquid Product: Limited Activitiy

Breaking stock — eggs intended for further processing — is trading with little activity, as plants consider labor, production, and pricing constraints ahead of the holidays. Liquid whole egg is being transacted below previous quoted ranges, indicating some softness, whereas white and yolk components remain quiet, with few signs of imminent movement.

Market Sentiment: Firm, Forward-Looking

Overall, the egg market maintains a “full steady to firm” posture heading into Thanksgiving. Given very limited spot availability and seasonally strong consumer demand, producers are likely to stay in the driver’s seat through the end of November.

Market Outlook: What’s Next?

Looking forward, all major poultry sectors are experiencing the usual tensions brought by seasonality, supply constraints, and evolving consumer preferences.

• For chicken, balance is the word of the day. While sellers generally feel confident, specific segments such as wings bear watching given price sensitivity at higher grades and sizes.
• Turkey producers are likely to remain in a strong position through the holidays, though the bigger question is what comes after—especially if export markets continue to lag and inventories adjust.
• Egg suppliers will enjoy ongoing, though possibly volatile, premiums until the holiday rush subsides.

As with any agricultural market, outside factors — feed costs, disease outbreaks, labor, and logistics — could quickly reshape the landscape. But for now, steady demand, constrained supply, and firm pricing define the US poultry market this holiday season.

This balanced overview synthesizes the most current information on the US chicken, turkey, and egg markets, offering a clear snapshot for anyone connected to the industry or seeking to understand the dynamics at play as we close out 2025.

Jonathan Sachs, Beef Product Specialist