US chicken egg production down in September

Egg-type chicks hatched in September 2011 were up over 2010 numbers, but broiler-type chicks hatched were down.

U.S. egg production totaled 7.51 billion during September 2011, down slightly from 2010 numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Production included 6.49 billion table eggs and 1.02 billion hatching eggs, of which 952 million were broiler-type and 68 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during September 2011 averaged 336 million, down 1% from 2010. September egg production per 100 layers was 2,236 eggs, up 1% from September 2010.
All layers in the U.S. on October 1 totaled 335 million, down slightly from 2010. The 335 million layers consisted of 281 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 51.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs and 2.95 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on October 1 averaged 74.6 eggs per 100 layers, up 1% from the same time in 2010.
Egg-type chicks hatched during September 2011 totaled 40.3 million, up slightly from September 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 36.5 million on October 1, down 8% from 2010 numbers. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 274,000 during September 2011, up 9% from September 2010.
Broiler-type chicks hatched during September 2011 totaled 721 million, down 5% from September 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 572 million on October 1, down 8% from 2010 numbers. Leading breeders placed 6.66 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during September 2011, down 7% from September 2010.
For more information on U.S. egg production and prices, see www.wattagnet.com/marketdata.html.