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.

May 20, 2020

Media Contact: Anthony Prillaman

Broiler-Type Eggs Set in the United States Down 2 Percent

Hatcheries in the United States weekly program set 231 million eggs in incubators during the week ending May 16, 2020, down 2 percent from a year ago. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week in the United States was 80.2 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Hatcheries in Alabama set 33.0 million eggs during the week ending May 16, 2020, up 7 percent from a year ago. Hatcheries in Georgia set 34.3 million eggs during the same week, down 2 percent from a year ago.

Broiler-Type Chicks Placed in the United States Down 10 Percent

Broiler growers in the United States weekly program placed 170 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 16, 2020, down 10 percent from a year ago. Cumulative placements from the week ending January 4, 2020 through May 16, 2020 for the United States were 3.70 billion. Cumulative placements were down slightly from the same period a year earlier.

Broiler growers in Alabama placed 23.2 million chicks for meat production during the week ending May 16, 2020, up 3 percent from a year ago. Placements in Georgia totaled 26.4 million chicks, down 8 percent from a year ago.

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

State

April 11, 2020

April 18, 2020

April 25, 2020

Week ending
May 2, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

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

31,262 1,167
32,862 5,462

30,893 1,163
34,012 5,670

31,280 1,069
33,560 5,238

31,039 1,100
33,329 5,357

May 9, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
31,966 1,163
34,108 5,313

United States ......

217,950

223,080

217,192

221,122

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, May 20, 2020

229,269

May 16, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
33,008 1,163
34,264 5,594
231,396

Percent of previous year
(percent)
107 99 98 94
98

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

State

April 11, 2020

April 18, 2020

April 25, 2020

Week ending
May 2, 2020

May 9, 2020

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

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

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

23,345 1,238
25,207 3,663

21,672 1,299
25,248 4,097

22,202 1,440
23,626 4,616

23,454 1,322
24,424 5,290

United States ......

178,580

178,391

171,574

164,415

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, May 20, 2020

176,006

May 16, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,207 1,293
26,406 4,668
170,408

Percent of previous year
(percent)
103 97 92
105
90

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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

State

April 11, 2020

April 18, 2020

Week ending

April 25, 2020

May 2, 2020

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

(1,000 eggs)

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

31,262 21,452
3,841 1,167 32,862 7,240 3,379 8,086 16,603 8,309

30,893 22,134
4,477 1,163 34,012 7,214 3,470 7,838 16,921 8,368

31,280 21,180
3,814 1,069 33,560 7,065 2,971 8,059 16,877 8,552

31,039 22,212
3,591 1,100 33,329 7,347 3,077 8,020 16,746 8,425

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

22,410 6,519 6,106 5,462
16,071 4,906
11,836

22,208 6,698 6,094 5,670
17,529 4,587
12,461

22,254 6,911 6,262 5,238
15,167 4,659
11,360

23,392 6,535 5,856 5,357
16,748 4,937
12,808

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

10,439

11,343

10,914

10,603

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

217,950 93

223,080 95

217,192 93

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, May 20, 2020

221,122 95

May 9, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
31,966 22,239
4,917 1,163 34,108 7,652 3,093 8,080 16,758 9,022
23,903 6,805 6,175 5,313
17,832 6,186
12,282
11,775
229,269 98

May 16, 2020
(1,000 eggs)
33,008 22,966
5,024 1,163 34,264 7,659 3,244 8,100 16,986 8,958
24,023 6,751 6,117 5,594
17,662 6,017
12,318
11,542
231,396 98

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

State

April 11, 2020

April 18, 2020

Week ending

April 25, 2020

May 2, 2020

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

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

22,117 21,224
4,153 1,334 27,366 5,949 2,575 5,780 14,179 5,590

23,345 20,140
5,155 1,238 25,207 5,890 2,403 5,634 14,296 5,472

21,672 19,814
4,073 1,299 25,248 5,965 2,018 3,853 14,396 4,904

22,202 18,745
2,975 1,440 23,626 5,479 2,301 3,150 13,557 5,547

May 9, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,454 20,479
4,171 1,322 24,424 5,769 2,524 4,444 14,161 4,968

May 16, 2020
(1,000 chicks)
23,207 19,268
3,661 1,293 26,406 5,472 2,476 4,939 14,232 5,366

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

19,105 3,327 4,255 4,031
14,007 4,842
10,981

19,292 4,350 4,469 3,663
13,805 4,385
10,772

17,739 4,508 4,443 4,097
13,599 4,696
11,073

16,260 4,705 4,353 4,616
13,135 4,377
9,900

17,633 4,430 4,375 5,290
13,992 4,369
11,193

14,211 4,286 4,460 4,668
12,726 4,944
9,753

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

7,765

8,875

8,177

8,047

9,008

9,040

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

178,580 96

178,391 95

171,574 92

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Broiler Hatchery, May 20, 2020

164,415 87

176,006 92

170,408 90