April 13, 2012

According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), compared to the same week last year, 4% fewer of broiler-type eggs were set and 4% fewer of chicks were placed.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly program set 199 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 7, 2012. This was down 4% from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85%. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Broiler growers in the 19 State weekly program placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 7, 2012. Placements were down 4% from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from January 1, 2012 through April 7, 2012 were 2.27 billion, down 4% from the same period a year earlier.