> New Zealand had 24.6 million chickens in 2024, the 85th largest in the world (0.09% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 21%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/new-zealand/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Chickens](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/)›New ZealandFAOSTAT · 1961–2024

# Chickens in New Zealand

New Zealand had 24.6 million chickens in 2024, the 85th largest in the world (0.09% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 21%. The record was 25.7 million head in 2021.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/chicken/)

Animals, 202424.6 million head
World rank85 of 179
10-year change+21%
Record25.7 million head2021

## Chickens in New Zealand, 1961–2024 (head)

## New Zealand compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.09%0.10% in 2014
10-year change+21%world +31%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 83 | [United Arab Emirates](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/united-arab-emirates/) | 26,388,000 | 0.10% |
| 84 | [Czechia](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/czechia/) | 24,917,000 | 0.09% |
| 85 | **New Zealand** | 24,574,000 | 0.09% |
| 86 | [Costa Rica](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/costa-rica/) | 23,865,000 | 0.09% |
| 87 | [Turkmenistan](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/turkmenistan/) | 21,489,000 | 0.08% |

[Full ranking of 179 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/)

### Map of chickens numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; New Zealand is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 24,574,000 | −2.8% |
| 2023 | 25,274,000 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 24,756,000 | −3.6% |
| 2021 | 25,675,000 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 24,849,000 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 24,721,000 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 24,162,000 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 23,763,000 | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 22,744,000 | +7.6% |
| 2015 | 21,135,000 | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 20,278,000 | +6.2% |
| 2013 | 19,094,000 | −0.0% |
| 2012 | 19,097,000 | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 18,622,000 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 18,525,000 | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 18,065,000 | −8.5% |
| 2008 | 19,733,000 | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 19,660,000 | +14% |
| 2006 | 17,243,000 | −9.5% |
| 2005 | 19,056,000 | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 18,677,000 | −7.4% |
| 2003 | 20,166,000 | −3.5% |
| 2002 | 20,908,000 | +61% |
| 2001 | 13,000,000 | 0.0% |
| 2000 | 13,000,000 | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 12,700,000 | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 12,000,000 | 0.0% |
| 1997 | 12,000,000 | 0.0% |
| 1996 | 12,000,000 | −5.5% |
| 1995 | 12,700,000 | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 12,000,000 | +21% |
| 1993 | 9,900,000 | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 9,600,000 | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 9,500,000 | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 9,000,000 | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 8,700,000 | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 8,594,000 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 8,480,000 | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 8,200,000 | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 8,000,000 | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 7,339,000 | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 6,987,000 | −6.7% |
| 1982 | 7,491,000 | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 7,233,000 | +13% |
| 1980 | 6,424,000 | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 6,416,000 | −12% |
| 1978 | 7,266,000 | −4.3% |
| 1977 | 7,591,000 | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 7,105,000 | −0.5% |
| 1975 | 7,139,000 | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 6,632,000 | +12% |
| 1973 | 5,941,000 | +37% |
| 1972 | 4,350,000 | −9.4% |
| 1971 | 4,800,000 | −4.0% |
| 1970 | 5,000,000 | 0.0% |
| 1969 | 5,000,000 | −4.8% |
| 1968 | 5,250,000 | +6.1% |
| 1967 | 4,947,000 | −6.6% |
| 1966 | 5,296,000 | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 5,000,000 | +11% |
| 1964 | 4,500,000 | +4.7% |
| 1963 | 4,300,000 | −4.4% |
| 1962 | 4,500,000 | +7.6% |
| 1961 | 4,184,000 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many chickens are there in New Zealand?

New Zealand had 24.6 million chickens in 2024, 0.09% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does New Zealand rank in the world by number of chickens?

New Zealand ranked 85th of 179 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 18.9% of the world total.

### How has the number of chickens in New Zealand changed?

It rose by 21% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +31% for the world. The record was 25.7 million head in 2021.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/china/)[Indonesia](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/indonesia/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/pakistan/)[Brazil](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/brazil/)[United States](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/united-states/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/iran/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/india/)[Mexico](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/mexico/)[Russia](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/russia/)[Vietnam](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/vietnam/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/turkey/)[Bangladesh](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/bangladesh/)
[All countries producing chickens](https://husfarm.com/production/chickens/)

## Other products of New Zealand

[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/new-zealand/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/new-zealand/)[Whole milk powder](https://husfarm.com/production/whole-milk-powder/new-zealand/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/new-zealand/)[Kiwi fruit](https://husfarm.com/production/kiwi-fruit/new-zealand/)[Apples](https://husfarm.com/production/apples/new-zealand/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/new-zealand/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/new-zealand/)[Butter of cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/butter-of-cow-milk/new-zealand/)[Sheep meat](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep-meat/new-zealand/)[Grapes](https://husfarm.com/production/grapes/new-zealand/)[Skim milk and whey powder](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-and-whey-powder/new-zealand/)
[Agricultural production in New Zealand](https://husfarm.com/production/country/new-zealand/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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