United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service
Southern Region News Release Broiler Hatchery

Cooperating with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Georgia Department of Agriculture, and South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Southern Regional Field Office 355 East Hancock Avenue, Suite 100 Athens, GA 30601 (706) 713-5400 www.nass.usda.gov

This report contains the results from the Weekly Broiler Hatchery Survey. Thanks to all who responded.

April 22, 2020

Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman

Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Down 5 Percent

Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 225 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 18, 2020, down 5 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 77.3 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Hatcheries in Alabama set 30.8 million eggs during the week ending April 18, 2020, down 1 percent from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 33.1 million eggs during the same week, down 7 percent from a year ago.

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Down 5 Percent

Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 178 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 18, 2020, down 5 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through April 18, 2020 for the United States were 3.02 billion. Cumulative placements were up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Broiler growers in Alabama placed 23.3 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 18, 2020, up 1 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 25.6 million chicks, down 7 percent from a year ago.

Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020

State

March 14, 2020

March 21, 2020

March 28, 2020

Week ending
April 4, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina....

34,216 1,207
34,849 5,751

33,838 1,194
35,080 5,804

34,043 1,177
35,250 5,834

32,825 1,131
33,985 5,647

April 11, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,441 1,167
33,053 5,720

United States ......

240,571

239,197

238,207

231,153

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 22, 2020

221,961

April 18, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,821 1,163
33,071 5,271
224,528

Percent of previous year
(percent)
99 99 93 94
95

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020

State

March 14, 2020

March 21, 2020

March 28, 2020

Week ending
April 4, 2020

April 11, 2020

(1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks)

Alabama ............. Florida ................ Georgia .............. South Carolina....

24,988 1,235
27,068 5,286

24,923 1,326
28,120 4,475

25,586 1,336
26,598 4,920

23,735 1,306
25,613 5,283

22,117 1,334
27,366 4,031

United States ......

191,148

191,643

190,500

186,557

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 22, 2020

179,760

April 18, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,345 1,230
25,583 3,918
178,163

Percent of previous year
(percent)
101 92 93 77
95

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Broiler-Type Eggs Set Selected States and United States: 2020

State

March 14, 2020

March 21, 2020

Week ending

March 28, 2020

April 4, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri ..............................................

34,216 24,202
5,306 1,207 34,849 7,760 3,879 8,486 18,082 8,809

33,838 24,368
5,185 1,194 35,080 7,749 3,865 8,171 18,260 8,952

34,043 23,081
5,306 1,177 35,250 7,497 3,802 8,198 18,260 9,003

32,825 22,316
5,281 1,131 33,985 7,911 3,167 7,886 16,999 8,233

North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee,
and West Virginia ..............................

25,258 7,973 6,239 5,751
17,541 6,392
12,734

24,681 7,196 6,103 5,804
17,915 6,485
12,760

24,422 7,309 6,325 5,834
18,014 5,672
13,180

24,597 7,116 6,197 5,647
17,473 6,361
13,087

Other States ........................................

11,887

11,591

11,834

10,941

United States ...................................... Percent of previous year .....................

240,571 103

239,197 104

238,207 102

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 22, 2020

231,153 100

April 11, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,441 21,427
5,176 1,167 33,053 7,620 3,485 8,086 16,603 8,309
23,407 6,519 6,191 5,720
16,563 5,477
12,280
10,437
221,961 95

April 18, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,821 22,255
5,195 1,163 33,071 7,220 3,470 7,986 16,921 8,368
24,210 6,698 6,137 5,271
17,031 4,889
12,558
11,264
224,528 95

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed Selected States and United States: 2020

State

March 14, 2020

March 21, 2020

Week ending

March 28, 2020

April 4, 2020

(1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks) (1,000 chicks)

Alabama ............................................. Arkansas ............................................. Delaware ............................................ Florida ................................................. Georgia ............................................... Kentucky ............................................. Louisiana ............................................ Maryland ............................................. Mississippi .......................................... Missouri ..............................................

24,988 21,417
4,939 1,235 27,068 6,073 3,270 5,052 14,889 5,938

24,923 22,029
5,059 1,326 28,120 5,913 3,234 6,116 15,182 5,656

25,586 22,280
4,654 1,336 26,598 5,601 3,353 5,773 15,191 6,442

23,735 21,211
5,431 1,306 25,613 6,482 3,121 6,026 14,386 5,596

April 11, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
22,117 21,224
4,828 1,334 27,366 5,949 2,575 6,128 14,179 5,590

April 18, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,345 20,141
4,964 1,230 25,583 5,895 2,404 5,539 14,296 5,472

North Carolina ..................................... Oklahoma ........................................... Pennsylvania ...................................... South Carolina .................................... Texas .................................................. Virginia ................................................ California, Tennessee,
and West Virginia ..............................

20,003 5,162 4,547 5,286
14,125 6,584
11,540

20,831 4,093 4,524 4,475
14,089 5,702
11,369

20,181 3,499 4,472 4,920
13,930 6,352
11,520

20,486 4,281 4,452 5,283
14,006 4,935
11,425

19,376 3,327 4,285 4,031
14,007 4,698
10,981

19,534 4,351 4,474 3,918
13,825 4,429
10,831

Other States ........................................

9,032

9,002

8,812

8,782

7,765

7,932

United States ...................................... Percent of previous year .....................

191,148 103

191,643 104

190,500 102

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 22, 2020

186,557 99

179,760 96

178,163 95