Perdue Adopts On-Farm Hatching, Marking Major US Industry Shift

Perdue Farms announced today it will implement NestBorn's on-farm hatching technology, becoming the first major US poultry producer to adopt this cutting-edge innovation. After successful trials on the Delmarva peninsula, Perdue will deploy two of NestBorn’s egg placing machines that allow chicks to hatch directly in their rearing environment rather than in traditional hatcheries. Read more about on-farm hatching here. 

This move is particularly significant given recent industry trends. While some US producers have begun reintroducing antibiotics into their operations, on-farm hatching has been shown to dramatically reduce the need for antibiotics - European studies found farms using this technology were 5.6 times more likely to remain antibiotic-free. The production benefits are also substantial, with farms reporting up to 4.4% higher slaughter weights and significantly reduced mortality by eliminating transport and providing immediate access to feed. This aligns with Perdue's commitment to "No Antibiotics Ever" by providing a practical way to maintain antibiotic-free production while driving operational efficiency.

The welfare benefits are equally compelling. Instead of experiencing the stress of hatchery processing and transport, chicks have immediate access to food, water, and appropriate environmental conditions. The technology is already in the process of transforming European poultry production, where over 500 million broilers, or 8% of the market, are now hatched on-farm annually.

For the US poultry industry, Perdue's adoption of this technology could signal the beginning of a significant shift toward production methods that better serve both animal welfare and operational efficiency. As Bruce Stewart Brown, Perdue's Chief Science Officer notes, this innovation represents an important step forward in their mission to "responsibly raise animals for food."