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 29, 2020

Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman

Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Down 7 Percent

Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 218 million eggs in incubators during the week ending April 25, 2020, down 7 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 78.3 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Hatcheries in Alabama set 30.6 million eggs during the week ending April 25, 2020, down slightly from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 33.2 million eggs during the same week, down 7 percent from a year ago.

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Down 8 Percent

Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 172 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 25, 2020, down 8 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through April 25, 2020 for the United States were 3.19 billion. Cumulative placements were up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Broiler growers in Alabama placed 21.7 million chicks for meat production during the week ending April 25, 2020, down 1 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 25.2 million chicks, down 13 percent from a year ago.

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

State

March 21, 2020

March 28, 2020

April 4, 2020

Week ending
April 11, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

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

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

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

32,825 1,131
34,232 5,647

30,441 1,167
33,053 5,720

April 18, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,821 1,163
33,080 5,267

United States ......

239,404

238,316

225,812

219,727

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 29, 2020

221,680

April 25, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,619 1,069
33,211 5,238
217,580

Percent of previous year
(percent)
100 91 93 90
93

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

State

March 21, 2020

March 28, 2020

April 4, 2020

Week ending
April 11, 2020

April 18, 2020

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

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

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

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

23,735 1,306
26,258 5,638

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

23,345 1,230
25,207 3,445

United States ......

191,748

190,688

184,909

177,539

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 29, 2020

178,365

April 25, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
21,671 1,293
25,247 4,097
171,991

Percent of previous year
(percent)
99 98 87 93
92

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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

State

March 21, 2020

March 28, 2020

Week ending

April 4, 2020

April 11, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

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

33,838 24,368
5,362 1,194 35,080 7,749 3,865 8,170 18,260 8,952

34,043 23,081
5,465 1,177 35,250 7,497 3,802 8,198 18,260 9,003

32,825 21,487
4,642 1,131 34,232 7,911 3,167 7,886 17,350 8,388

30,441 21,427
3,841 1,167 33,053 7,620 3,485 8,086 16,603 8,309

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

24,712 7,196 6,103 5,804
17,915 6,485
12,760

24,372 7,309 6,325 5,834
18,014 5,672
13,180

21,816 6,605 6,197 5,647
17,473 5,762
12,649

22,593 6,519 6,106 5,720
16,563 5,477
12,280

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

11,591

11,834

10,644

10,437

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

239,404 104

238,316 102

225,812 98

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 29, 2020

219,727 94

April 18, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,821 22,255
4,477 1,163 33,080 7,214 3,470 7,838 16,921 8,368
22,568 6,698 6,094 5,267
17,031 4,889
12,237
11,289
221,680 94

April 25, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
30,619 21,180
4,525 1,069 33,211 7,065 2,971 8,059 16,877 8,552
22,432 6,911 6,262 5,238
15,167 4,962
11,500
10,980
217,580 93

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

State

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)

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

24,923 22,029
6,147 1,326 28,120 5,913 3,234 5,463 15,182 5,656

25,586 22,280
4,805 1,336 26,598 5,601 3,353 6,127 15,191 6,442

23,735 21,211
4,330 1,306 26,258 6,482 3,121 4,458 14,386 5,596

22,117 21,224
5,368 1,334 27,366 5,949 2,575 3,353 14,179 5,590

April 18, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,345 20,140
5,155 1,230 25,207 5,890 2,404 5,634 14,296 5,472

April 25, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
21,671 19,806
5,481 1,293 25,247 5,964 2,018 3,824 14,396 4,806

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

20,901 4,093 4,524 4,475
14,089 5,302
11,369

20,264 3,499 4,472 4,920
13,930 5,952
11,520

20,478 4,281 4,452 5,638
14,006 4,964
11,425

19,387 3,327 4,255 4,031
14,007 4,731
10,981

19,534 4,351 4,470 3,445
13,805 4,384
10,772

16,908 4,507 4,442 4,097
13,597 4,705
11,068

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

9,002

8,812

8,782

7,765

8,831

8,161

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

191,748 104

190,688 102

184,909 99

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, April 29, 2020

177,539 95

178,365 95

171,991 92