Pou 2-2 (2-04) Broiler Hatchery National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 25, 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 2 Percent Commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly program set 208 million eggs in incubators during the week ending February 21, 2004. This was up 2 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 1 Percent Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 167 million chicks for meat production during the week ending February 21, 2004. Placements were up 1 percent from the comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from December 28, 2003 through February 21, 2004 were 1.34 billion, up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier. * * * * * * * * The next "Broiler Hatchery" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 3, 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 17 : Jan 24 : Jan 31 : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : Feb 21 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 29,293 29,462 29,084 29,171 29,273 29,778 AR : 31,324 30,728 30,944 30,374 31,055 31,008 DE : 3,829 3,917 3,624 *3,721 3,703 2,958 FL : 1,359 1,364 1,347 1,364 1,354 1,363 GA : 33,059 *33,083 33,063 33,374 32,887 33,292 KY : 6,554 5,657 6,459 7,099 *7,013 6,958 LA : 3,662 3,666 3,657 3,673 3,774 3,812 MD : 8,868 8,680 8,840 8,570 8,930 8,846 MS : 19,344 18,957 19,207 18,928 19,229 19,179 NC : 17,817 17,978 *17,556 18,097 *18,385 18,610 OK : 6,247 6,423 5,655 6,338 *6,357 6,390 PA : 3,667 3,749 3,524 3,722 *3,615 3,710 SC : 3,702 3,683 3,646 3,638 3,488 3,767 TX : 14,798 14,785 *14,802 14,785 14,976 14,949 VA : 6,230 6,266 6,129 6,363 6,308 6,417 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 17,011 17,135 *16,905 17,313 *17,191 17,379 : 19 State Total : 206,764 *205,533 *204,442 *206,530 *207,538 208,416 : Previous Year Total : 202,802 204,707 203,905 202,772 202,449 204,584 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 100 100 102 103 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised Broiler Chicks Placed, 19 Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending State :----------------------------------------------------------- : Jan 17 : Jan 24 : Jan 31 : Feb 7 : Feb 14 : Feb 21 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Thousand : AL : 21,967 22,008 22,264 21,502 21,695 20,929 AR : 25,061 23,942 23,910 24,701 *24,306 24,415 DE : 5,447 5,397 5,369 *4,730 *4,183 5,116 FL : 1,637 1,561 1,603 1,859 1,689 1,947 GA : 26,153 25,937 25,636 *25,821 25,613 26,000 KY : 5,541 5,744 5,254 5,582 *4,545 5,620 LA : 3,477 3,640 3,668 3,702 3,532 3,489 MD : 4,842 4,698 5,461 *5,657 *6,394 5,294 MS : 16,632 16,314 16,402 16,598 16,309 16,524 NC : 14,115 13,863 14,303 14,056 *14,246 14,067 OK : 4,471 4,648 5,250 4,902 *4,916 4,369 PA : 2,626 2,533 2,532 2,646 *2,680 2,554 SC : 3,467 4,308 4,204 4,162 4,154 4,154 TX : 12,018 11,865 12,098 12,165 12,172 12,211 VA : 4,798 4,779 4,751 5,634 5,099 4,925 CA, MO, TN, & WV : 14,277 14,278 15,393 15,210 *15,319 15,034 : 19 State Total : 166,529 165,515 168,098 *168,927 *166,852 166,648 : Previous Year Total : 163,604 166,045 166,420 164,887 165,871 164,469 : Pct. of Prev. Year : 102 100 101 102 101 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised