Broiler Eggs Set In 19 Selected States Up 1 Percent

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 203 million eggs in incubators during the week ending December 6, 2003. This was up 1 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 83 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Broiler Chicks Placed Up 3 Percent

Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 167 million chicks for meat production during the week ending December 6, 2003. Placements were up 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through December 6, 2003 were 8.15 billion, down slightly from the same period a year earlier.

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Source: USDA NASS - Broiler Hatchery Report - 10th December 2003