January 26, 2012

US broiler eggs and chicks down 4% and 6% respectively

Broiler eggs in the US were set down 6% to 193 million and chicks were placed down 4% to 162 million, according to the USDA.

Commercial hatcheries in the 19 State weekly programme set 193 million eggs in incubators during the week ending January 7, 2012.

This was down 6% 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 programme placed 162 million chicks for meat production during the week ending January 7, 2012. Placements were down 4% from the comparable week a year ago.