Broiler Hatchery
Broiler Hatchery

ISSN: 1949-1840

Released February 17, 2021, 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 1 Percent

Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 238 million eggs in 
incubators during the week ending 
February 13, 2021, down 1 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for 
chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 80.9 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 2 Percent

Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 186 million chicks 
for meat production during the week ending February 13, 2021, down 2 percent 
from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending
January 9, 2021 through February 13, 2021 for the United States were 
1.12 billion. Cumulative placements were down 2 percent from the same period 
a year earlier.

Broiler-Type Eggs Set - Selected States and United States: 2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    Week ending                                    
             State            :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              : January 9,  : January 16, : January 23, : January 30, : February 6, :February 13, 
                              :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    1,000 eggs                                     
                              :                                                                                   
Alabama ......................:    33,144        33,559        33,306        33,396        33,721        33,614   
Arkansas .....................:    24,319        23,819        24,405        24,246        24,475        24,620   
Delaware .....................:     4,669         5,668         5,042         4,948         4,669         4,669   
Florida ......................:     1,209         1,209         1,209         1,209         1,209         1,209   
Georgia ......................:    34,414        32,751        33,008        33,728        34,778        34,100   
Kentucky .....................:     7,534         8,025         8,003         7,685         8,158         8,155   
Louisiana ....................:     2,987         3,516         3,562         3,516         3,562         3,562   
Maryland .....................:     7,637         7,640         7,635         7,380         7,807         7,773   
Mississippi ..................:    17,222        16,789        17,223        17,804        18,111        18,096   
Missouri .....................:     9,165         9,149         9,244         9,244         9,210         9,227   
                              :                                                                                   
North Carolina ...............:    23,937        24,361        24,763        24,055        23,943        24,515   
Oklahoma .....................:     7,058         7,183         7,072         6,944         7,319         7,166   
Pennsylvania .................:     6,318         6,319         6,319         6,167         6,296         6,354   
South Carolina ...............:     5,618         5,914         5,878         5,872         5,899         5,660   
Texas ........................:    17,728        18,224        17,505        18,213        17,517        17,349   
Virginia .....................:     6,432         6,505         6,462         6,313         6,300         6,504   
California, Tennessee,        :                                                                                   
 and West Virginia ...........:    13,068        13,039        13,227        13,457        13,259        13,230   
                              :                                                                                   
Other States .................:    11,846        12,225        11,390        11,044        10,744        11,844   
                              :                                                                                   
United States ................:   234,305       235,895       235,253       235,221       236,977       237,647   
Percent of previous year .....:        99            99            99            98            99            99   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed - Selected States and United States: 2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                    Week ending                                    
             State            :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              : January 9,  : January 16, : January 23, : January 30, : February 6, :February 13, 
                              :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     :    2021     
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :                                   1,000 chicks                                    
                              :                                                                                   
Alabama ......................:    23,720        24,340        24,910        24,239        24,698        23,542   
Arkansas .....................:    20,689        22,087        21,845        22,283        21,698        22,101   
Delaware .....................:     4,393         4,786         4,397         4,306         4,138         5,113   
Florida ......................:     1,297         1,309         1,321         1,367         1,382         1,305   
Georgia ......................:    26,809        26,418        25,869        26,050        24,942        25,120   
Kentucky .....................:     5,710         6,345         5,740         6,586         5,497         6,165   
Louisiana ....................:     3,125         3,002         3,015         2,575         2,979         3,018   
Maryland .....................:     5,789         4,614         4,880         5,542         6,497         5,139   
Mississippi ..................:    15,149        15,140        15,096        14,464        14,094        14,412   
Missouri .....................:     6,542         6,763         6,480         5,925         5,350         5,171   
                              :                                                                                   
North Carolina ...............:    19,717        19,311        19,699        19,140        19,787        19,816   
Oklahoma .....................:     4,273         3,206         3,744         3,587         4,321         4,705   
Pennsylvania .................:     4,785         4,760         4,750         4,828         4,771         4,813   
South Carolina ...............:     5,403         4,938         4,996         5,474         5,272         5,851   
Texas ........................:    14,896        14,680        14,572        14,321        14,669        14,017   
Virginia .....................:     5,489         6,118         6,523         5,731         5,783         5,367   
California, Tennessee,        :                                                                                   
 and West Virginia ...........:    11,815        11,522        11,323        10,681        11,622        11,708   
                              :                                                                                   
Other States .................:     9,621         8,983         8,787         8,947         9,597         8,894   
                              :                                                                                   
United States ................:   189,222       188,322       187,947       186,046       187,097       186,257   
Percent of previous year .....:       100            99            98            98            98            98   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Vacant, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ..................... (202) 690-3223
   Holly Brenize - Poultry Slaughter......................................... (202) 720-0585
   Alissa Cowell-Mytar - Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses .. (202) 720-4751
   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
   Adam Peters - Honey, Honey Bee Colonies .................................. (202) 690-4870
   Autumn Stone - Layers, Eggs .............................................. (202) 690-3676
   Takiyah Walker - Broiler Hatchery......................................... (202) 720-6147

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