Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 11/17/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 193 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Nov. 12, down 5 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier.

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent.

Broiler growers in the 19-state weekly program placed 152 million chicks for meat production during the week, down 8 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through Nov. 12 were 7.46 billion, down 2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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