Source:  Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 12/16/10

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 205 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Dec. 11, up slightly from the number of eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier, according to USDA.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 84 percent.

Broiler growers in the 19-state weekly program placed 169 million chicks for meat production during the week ending Dec. 11, up just 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 3, 2010, through Dec. 11, 2010, were 8.29 billion, up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Turkeys
Turkey eggs in incubators on Dec.1 totaled 27.8 million, up 4 percent from Dec. 1, 2009. Eggs in incubators were down 2 percent from the Nov. 1 total of 28.4 million eggs.

Turkey poults hatched during November totaled 23.8 million, up 11 percent from November 2009. Poults hatched were up 8 percent from the October total of 22.1 million poults. The 23.4 million net poults placed during November also were up 11 percent from the number placed during the same month a year earlier. Net placements were up 10 percent from the October total of 21.2 million.  

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