Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the 19 State Total Down Slightly
Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly program set 198 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 27, 2013. This was down slightly from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 84 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.
Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the 19 State Total Down 1 Percent
Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 27, 2013. Placements were down 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2012 through April 27, 2013 for the 19 State total were 2.78 billion, up slightly from the same period a year earlier.
Source: USDA