Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 9/19/13

Commercial hatcheries  set 194 million eggs in incubators during the week ended Sept. 14, up 5 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier.

Average hatchability was 84 percent.

Broiler growers placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ended Sept. 14, up 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from December 30, 2012, through Sept. 14, 2013, total were 6.11 billion, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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