Broiler Hatchery

Broiler Hatchery

ISSN: 1949-1840

Released October 4, 2023, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Down 3 Percent

Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 232 million eggs in 
incubators during the week ending 
September 30, 2023, down 3 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for 
chicks hatched during the week in the 
United States was 80.6 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by 
dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three-weeks earlier.  

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Down 3 Percent

Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 183 million chicks 
for meat production during the week ending September 30, 2023, down 3 percent 
from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 7, 2023 
through September 30, 2023 for the United States were 7.30 billion. 
Cumulative placements were down 1 percent from the same period a year 
earlier.

Broiler-Type Eggs Set - Selected States and United States: 2023
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    Week ending                                    
             State            :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              : August 26,  :September 2, :September 9, :September 16,:September 23,:September 30,
                              :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    1,000 eggs                                     
                              :                                                                                   
Alabama ......................:    34,127        33,626        33,307        33,500        33,574        32,882   
Arkansas .....................:    24,073        24,358        22,170        23,967        23,565        23,063   
Delaware .....................:     5,627         5,722         5,753         5,274         5,581         5,556   
Florida ......................:     1,225         1,225         1,225         1,225         1,225         1,225   
Georgia ......................:    35,643        35,659        35,363        35,597        34,671        34,431   
Kentucky .....................:     6,866         6,812         6,259         6,769         6,688         6,464   
Louisiana ....................:     3,517         3,408         3,245         3,517         3,578         3,578   
Maryland .....................:     8,066         7,877         8,064         7,879         8,066         8,067   
Mississippi ..................:    16,957        16,260        15,816        16,550        16,917        16,336   
Missouri .....................:     8,863         8,868         8,681         8,741         8,798         8,793   
                              :                                                                                   
North Carolina ...............:    23,970        22,827        22,681        22,652        23,262        23,157   
Oklahoma .....................:     7,169         6,453         6,666         6,257         6,125         6,554   
Pennsylvania .................:     7,303         7,345         7,264         7,295         6,803         6,961   
South Carolina ...............:     5,910         5,673         5,880         5,876         6,027         6,047   
Texas ........................:    18,430        17,491        17,982        17,953        17,736        18,119   
Virginia .....................:     5,864         5,871         5,865         5,831         5,867         5,782   
California, Tennessee,        :                                                                                   
 and West Virginia ...........:    13,748        13,014        13,497        13,220        13,235        13,038   
                              :                                                                                   
Other States .................:    12,383        12,508        12,403        11,995        11,332        12,210   
                              :                                                                                   
United States ................:   239,741       234,997       232,121       234,098       233,050       232,263   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed - Selected States and United States: 2023
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    Week ending                                    
             State            :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              : August 26,  :September 2, :September 9, :September 16,:September 23,:September 30,
                              :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     :    2023     
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                   1,000 chicks                                    
                              :                                                                                   
Alabama ......................:    25,032        23,943        23,949        24,290        23,684        23,783   
Arkansas .....................:    20,205        20,258        19,634        20,598        20,635        19,038   
Delaware .....................:     5,135         6,630         5,834         4,683         4,782         5,892   
Florida ......................:     1,273         1,292         1,152         1,006         1,210         1,315   
Georgia ......................:    26,423        27,889        27,958        27,641        28,258        27,760   
Kentucky .....................:     5,351         5,144         5,300         5,201         4,927         5,009   
Louisiana ....................:     2,525         2,947         2,892         2,830         2,839         2,652   
Maryland .....................:     5,584         4,442         5,950         6,596         6,721         6,102   
Mississippi ..................:    13,789        13,402        13,547        13,636        13,078        12,749   
Missouri .....................:     6,132         5,921         5,497         5,163         6,031         6,007   
                              :                                                                                   
North Carolina ...............:    19,417        19,694        19,150        19,062        18,434        18,647   
Oklahoma .....................:     5,982         5,489         5,736         5,324         3,890         4,145   
Pennsylvania .................:     4,838         4,849         4,713         4,866         4,832         4,781   
South Carolina ...............:     5,305         4,102         4,303         5,889         4,641         4,989   
Texas ........................:    14,997        14,562        14,729        14,852        14,071        14,457   
Virginia .....................:     5,454         5,551         4,853         5,068         4,728         4,461   
California, Tennessee,        :                                                                                   
 and West Virginia ...........:    11,553        11,966        12,255        11,814        11,786        11,500   
                              :                                                                                   
Other States .................:     9,440         9,700         9,678         9,818         9,876         9,556   
                              :                                                                                   
United States ................:   188,435       187,781       187,130       188,337       184,423       182,843   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statistical Methodology

Survey Procedures: Data for broiler hatchery estimates are collected weekly 
from all broiler-type hatcheries that hatch at least one million chicks a 
year. Individual NASS regional field offices maintain a list of all known 
hatcheries and update their lists on a continual basis. All hatcheries that 
meet the minimum size criteria are given adequate time to respond to the 
weekly survey. Those that do not respond are contacted by telephone. The 
weekly United States total for chicks placed includes states receiving 
greater than 500,000 chicks annually for grow-out.

Estimating Procedures: All data are analyzed for unusual values. Data from 
each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends 
from similar operations. Data for missing operations are estimated based on 
similar operations or historical data. NASS regional field offices prepare 
these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and historic 
trends. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural 
Statistics Board for reasonableness.

Revision Policy: Revisions are generally the result of late or corrected 
data. Revisions made to the previous five-week's data during the current week 
are published in this report. Final estimates are published in the annual 
Hatchery Production Summary released in April.

Reliability: Estimates are subject to errors such as omission, duplication, 
and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. While these 
errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized through strict quality 
controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported 
data for consistency and reasonableness.

Information Contacts

Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries 
may be sent to nass@usda.gov

Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ............................... (202) 692-0069

Jean Porter, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section .......... (202) 690-3223
   Holly Brenize - Poultry Slaughter................................... (202) 720-0585
   Liana Cuffman - Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture ..... (202) 720-8784
   Fatema Haque - Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ..................... (202) 720-3244 
   Derron Martin - Chicken Hatchery, Egg Products...................... (202) 690-3237
   Seth Riggins - Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ........................... (202) 690-4870
   Shulonda Shaw - Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses .. (202) 720-3240
   Autumn Stone - Layers, Eggs ........................................ (202) 690-3676
   Takiyah Walker - Broiler Hatchery................................... (202) 720-6147

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