WASHINGTON – Broiler chicks hatched for meat production in 2016 totaled 9.21 billion during the week ending Dec. 31, 2016, an increase of 1 percent compared with this the period ending Jan. 2, 2016, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the US Dept. of Agriculture said in its 2016 Hatchery Production Summary.

Intended placements for 2016 were 92.3 million pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks, an increase of 3 percent from 2015 figures. Meanwhile, intended placements for egg-type pullet chicks were 2.96 million, down 5 percent from 2015, according to NASS. Egg-type chicks hatched in 2016 increased 4 percent to 586 million. The capacity of chicken hatcheries on Jan. 1, 2017 increased 3 percent to 930 million eggs compared to Jan. 1, 2016.

Turkey poults hatched last year advanced 7 percent compared to 2015, with 286 million hatched, while placements increased 5 percent to 271 million hatched. Capacity in turkey hatcheries eased 1 percent to 41.8 million eggs on Jan. 1, 2017 compared to a year ago, NASS said.