Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly program set 208 million eggs in
incubators during the week ending March 19, 2011. This was up 1 percent 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 Up Slightly
Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 170 million chicks for
meat production during the week ending March 19, 2011. Placements were up
slightly from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from
January 2, 2011 through March 19, 2011 were 1.85 billion, up 1 percent from
the same period a year earlier.