April 27, 2012
US producers reduce egg sets and chick placements
US commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 200 million eggs in incubators during the week ended April 21, a decline of 4% from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier.
Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85%.
Broiler growers in the 19-state weekly program placed 167 million chicks for meat production during the week ended April 21, down 3% from the comparable week a year earlier.
Cumulative placements through April 21 were 2.61 billion, down 4% from the same period a year earlier.
