Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 12/22/11

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 195 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Dec. 17, 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 program placed 163 million chicks for meat production during the week, down 4 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through Dec. 17 were 8.26 billion, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.