October 13, 2006

US production of broiler eggs and chick placements down slightly

With announced cuts in chicken production by major poultry companies, US hatcheries are following suit by reducing the number of broiler eggs.

The number of broiler eggs set in hatcheries in the 19 largest broiler¨Cproducing states last week fell, as did the number of broiler chicks placed on farms, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state region set 206 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Oct 7, 2006, NASS said, down 2 percent from the same period a year. 

Cumulative placements so far this year was 6.96 billion, down one percent from the same period one year earlier.