Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 12/1/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 194 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Nov. 26, down 6 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier, USDA reported.
Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent.  

Broiler growers in the program placed 156 million chicks for meat production during the week, down 5 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through Nov. 26 were 7.76 billion, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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