WASHINGTON – Commercial hatcheries set 194 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Sept. 14, 2013, an increase of 5 percent compared to the eggs set the corresponding week a year ago, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported. Average hatchability was 84 percent.

For the week ending Sept. 14, broiler growers placed 165 million chicks for meat production. Placements gained 3 percent from the comparable week a year ago. Cumulative placements from Dec. 30, 2012, through Sept. 14 were 6.11 billion, a 1 percent increase from the comparable period a year ago, according to NASS.