Pou 2-2 (2-03) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 26, 2003, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Broiler Hatchery" call Jody Roberts at (202) 690-8632, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Broiler Eggs Set In 19 Selected States Down 4 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 204 million eggs in incubators during the week ending February 22, 2003. This was down 4 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 Chicks Placed Down 3 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 165 million chicks for meat production during the week ending February 22, 2003. Placements were down 3 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 29, 2002 through February 22, 2003 were 1.32 billion, down 2 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 5, 2003. Subscription Information To subscribe to NASS reports or to order single copies, call toll free, 1-800-999-6779. You may write: ERS/NASS, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. Broiler Eggs Set, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 18 : Jan 25 : Feb 1 : Feb 8 : Feb 15 : Feb 22 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 27,578 27,453 *27,654 26,987 27,311 27,533 AR : 31,023 31,087 30,468 30,994 *30,350 30,762 DE : 3,582 3,418 3,607 3,489 3,348 3,295 FL : 1,555 1,581 1,587 1,609 1,605 1,598 GA : 30,910 31,410 *31,169 30,864 *30,817 31,361 KY : 6,382 *6,384 *6,562 6,429 *6,121 6,188 MD : 9,669 9,883 9,935 9,897 *8,694 9,351 MS : 18,829 19,241 18,885 18,501 18,912 18,447 NC : 18,320 18,099 *18,017 17,938 18,492 18,754 OK : 6,408 6,435 *6,695 6,432 6,395 6,632 PA : 3,543 *3,509 3,631 *3,447 *3,440 3,306 SC : 4,792 4,823 4,946 4,820 *4,842 4,823 TX : 14,509 14,809 14,729 14,417 14,786 14,807 VA : 6,387 6,629 6,515 6,520 6,491 6,562 CA, LA, MO, TN, & WV: 19,315 *19,946 19,586 19,682 *18,671 20,143 : 19 State Total : 202,802 *204,707 *203,986 *202,026 *200,275 203,562 : Previous Year Total : 205,220 206,876 208,754 208,199 210,479 211,110 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 99 99 98 97 95 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 18 : Jan 25 : Feb 1 : Feb 8 : Feb 15 : Feb 22 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 20,992 21,492 21,231 21,390 20,696 21,200 AR : 24,397 23,950 23,524 25,475 23,806 23,899 DE : 5,317 4,775 5,018 4,698 5,539 5,114 FL : 1,555 1,689 1,754 1,393 1,739 1,740 GA : *24,871 *24,928 25,094 25,425 *25,853 25,509 KY : 5,092 5,254 5,566 5,315 *5,366 5,491 MD : 5,583 6,493 6,274 6,265 5,601 5,732 MS : 15,873 15,937 15,968 15,479 15,967 15,727 NC : 14,091 14,290 14,262 14,439 14,217 13,946 OK : 4,066 4,289 *5,624 4,259 4,509 4,720 PA : 2,576 2,510 2,523 *2,482 *2,535 2,627 SC : 4,341 4,100 4,209 3,607 3,534 3,708 TX : 11,770 12,193 12,276 11,905 12,340 11,872 VA : 5,214 5,007 5,287 5,617 5,612 5,286 CA, LA, MO, TN, & WV: 17,866 19,138 *17,864 17,206 *18,758 18,408 : 19 State Total :*163,604 *166,045 *166,474 *164,955 *166,072 164,979 : Previous Year Total : 168,359 167,400 164,318 165,373 167,095 170,461 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 97 99 101 100 99 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised