Broiler eggs set and broiler chicks placed both increased by one percent during the week of January 19, compared to that time a year ago, according to the USDA's latest broiler hatchery report.
Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 196 million eggs in incubators over that week, which is up one percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year ago. Average hatchability was up 85 percent.
Broiler growers in that same 19-state program placed 162 million chicks for meat production during the week, up 1 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from December 30, 2012, through January 19 were 490 million, up 1 percent from a year earlier.