October 20, 2006

US ups chicken egg production

There has been a slight increase in chicken eggs set in incubators in the 19 largest broiler-producing states in the US, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported.

The 203 million eggs hatched in incubators in the week ending October 14 was up slightly from the number in the corresponding week a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 83 percent.

Broiler companies, in anticipation of slower growth in potential chicken-meat production in the end-of-the-year holidays, could have lowered the pace of production, said the report.