WASHINGTON – Commercial hatcheries set 201 million broiler-type eggs in incubators during the week ending Jan. 11, a 3 percent increase from the eggs set the corresponding week a year ago, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the period was 83 percent.

Broiler-type chicks placed for meat production registered slight gains, according to NASS. Broiler growers placed 164 million chicks for meat production during the week ending Jan. 11. Cumulative placements from Dec. 29, 2013 through Jan. 11 were up 1 percent from a year ago to 329 million chicks.