Poultry is domesticated fowl raised for meat and eggs. In the U.S., poultry consists mainly of chickens (9.08 billion birds) and turkeys (264 million birds), with limited production of other poultry. Chickens include layer types that produce eggs, and broilers that are raised for meat. Most turkey production is for meat.
The poultry industry is highly concentrated and most production occurs on large farms. Broiler production is concentrated in 16 states, mostly in the South and along the Atlantic Coast. Egg production occurs in every state, but is concentrated in 10 states (mainly in the Midwest and South) and turkey production is most concentrated in six states (AR, CA, MN, MO, NC, and VA).
An estimated 18 million tons of poultry manure are generated annually. Most of the manure is used as fertilizer for crops and pasture. However, it could also be used to produce bioenergy and bioproducts.