WASHINGTON – Commercial hatcheries set 200 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 21, a decline of 4 percent from the eggs set in the corresponding week in 2011, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent, NASS said.

Broiler growers placed 167 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 21, according to NASS. Placements were declined 3 percent from the comparable week in 2011. Cumulative placements from Jan. 1 through April 21 were 2.61 billion, down 4 percent from the comparable year-ago period.