During May, the total number of layers averaged 338 million, down slightly from May last year. May egg production per 100 layers was 2,302 eggs, up 1 percent from May 2010.
On June 1, all layers in the US totaled 336 million, down 1 percent from last year. The 336 million layers consisted of 279 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.8 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.01 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on June 1 averaged 74.1 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from June 1, 2010.
During May, egg-type chicks hatched totaled 43.3 million, up slightly from May 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 37.6 million on June 1, down 2 percent from a year ago. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 211 thousand during May, down 8 percent from May 2010.
Broiler-type chicks hatched during May totaled 807 million, up 1 percent from May 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 642 million on June 1, down 2 percent from a year earlier. Leading breeders placed 7.72 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during May, down 8 percent from May 2010.