US egg, broiler chicks hatched down in July

Egg-type chicks hatched during July 2011 in the U.S. totaled 37.4 million, down 2% from July 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Eggs in incubators totaled 37.1 million on August 1, up 11% from 2010 numbers. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks totaled 232,000 during July, up 6% from July 2010.
Broiler-type chicks hatched in July totaled 770 million, down 4% from July 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 610 million on August 1, down 6% from the same time in 2010. Leading breeders placed 6.44 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks in July, down 3% from the same time in 2010.

UK’s organic poultry sector needs help with 2012 rule change

Organic certifiers in the UK are being urged to take the lead in preparing the sector for 2012-regulations requiring pullets to be fully organic.
The call has come from Hi Peak Peak Organic Feeds, whose feed advisor Mike Burrows says: “Organic poultry producers need guidance on the issue of pullet supply for 2012 as a matter of urgency. Under the new measures, pullets will have to have access to outdoor ranging, and many established organic pullet-rearing units will not have the facility to accommodate this.”
Rearers will need to be compliant by the second week of August 2012.