Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 1/20/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 205 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Jan.15, up 2 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 growers in the 19-state weekly program placed 168 million chicks for meat production during the week ending Jan. 5, up slightly from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through Jan. 15 were 336 million, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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