2021 POULTRY CENSUS

The 2026 Poultry Census, conducted every five years by the American Poultry Association and The Livestock Conservancy, documents rare heritage breeds across the United States. It is fundamental to conservation efforts and to assess the extinction threat levels of endangered varieties of chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Census counts include only breeding animals, as this is the population necessary for breed survival. 

Many heritage breed poultry are historically significant and represent irreplaceable genetics that may be essential to the future of agriculture. Rare and traditional poultry breeds are an important option for small farms, possessing traits such as foraging, maternal ability, disease resistance, and heat- or cold-tolerance that are beneficial to small farmers and backyard hobbyists. Even as backyard poultry keeping becomes more popular, many of the less common or more challenging breeds are in real danger of extinction.

We invite you to complete the census. The greater your participation, the more precise the picture of poultry populations in North America. Your responses will remain anonymous, but you may opt to share your contact information with The Livestock Conservancy. This will help identify breeders who hold flocks of high conservation value, which are important to the long-term genetic diversity of endangered poultry breeds. A detailed summary of census results will be shared with you following analysis of collected data.

The 2026 Poultry Census is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Greenfire Farms.

To participate in the 2026 Poultry Census, please fill out the survey online at https://bit.ly/poultry26