Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly program set 201 million eggs in incubators during the week ending May 26, 2012. This was down 3 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.
Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Down 4 Percent
Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 166 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 26, 2012. Placements were down 4 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 1, 2012 through May 26, 2012 were 3.44 billion, down 4 percent from the same period a year earlier.