Pou 2-2 (2-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 18, 2004, 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 Up 3 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 208 million eggs in incubators during the week ending February 14, 2004. This was up 3 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 Up Slightly Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 166 million chicks for meat production during the week ending February 14, 2004. Placements were up slightly from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through February 14, 2004 were 1.17 billion, up 1 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on February 25, 2004. 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 10 : Jan 17 : Jan 24 : Jan 31 : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,753 29,293 29,462 29,084 29,171 29,273 AR : 31,084 31,324 30,728 30,944 30,374 31,055 DE : 3,749 3,829 3,917 3,624 3,710 3,703 FL : 1,348 1,359 1,364 1,347 1,364 1,354 GA : 33,030 33,059 *33,130 33,063 33,374 32,887 KY : 6,646 *6,554 *5,657 6,459 *7,099 7,016 LA : 3,608 3,662 3,666 3,657 3,673 3,774 MD : 8,842 8,868 8,680 8,840 8,570 8,930 MS : 19,115 19,344 18,957 19,207 18,928 19,229 NC : 18,144 17,817 *17,978 17,573 18,097 18,337 OK : 6,394 6,247 6,423 5,655 6,338 6,346 PA : 3,337 3,667 3,749 *3,524 *3,722 3,788 SC : 3,690 3,702 3,683 3,646 3,638 3,488 TX : 14,715 14,798 14,785 14,754 14,785 14,976 VA : 6,273 6,230 6,266 6,129 6,363 6,308 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 16,801 17,011 17,135 16,897 17,313 17,161 : 19 State Total : 206,529 *206,764 *205,580 *204,403 *206,519 207,625 : Previous Year Total : 203,492 202,802 204,707 203,905 202,772 202,449 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 101 102 100 100 102 103 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 10 : Jan 17 : Jan 24 : Jan 31 : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,719 21,967 22,008 22,264 21,502 21,695 AR : 24,747 25,061 23,942 23,910 24,701 24,281 DE : 4,224 5,447 5,397 5,369 4,860 4,216 FL : 1,609 1,637 1,561 1,603 1,859 1,689 GA : 24,976 26,153 25,937 25,636 25,780 25,613 KY : 5,742 5,541 5,744 5,254 *5,582 4,550 LA : 3,823 3,477 3,640 3,668 3,702 3,532 MD : 6,186 4,842 4,698 5,461 5,508 6,353 MS : 16,012 16,632 16,314 16,402 16,598 16,309 NC : 14,017 14,115 13,863 14,303 14,056 13,703 OK : 4,995 4,471 4,648 5,250 4,902 4,917 PA : 2,591 2,626 2,533 *2,532 *2,646 2,656 SC : 4,437 3,467 4,308 4,204 *4,162 4,154 TX : 11,999 12,018 11,865 12,098 12,165 12,172 VA : 5,088 4,798 4,779 4,751 5,634 5,099 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 14,604 14,277 14,278 15,393 *15,210 15,320 : 19 State Total : 166,769 166,529 165,515 *168,098 *168,867 166,259 : Previous Year Total : 162,132 163,604 166,045 166,420 164,887 165,871 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 103 102 100 101 102 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised