WASHINGTON – Commercial hatcheries set 195 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Sept. 7, 2013, an increase of 5 percent from the eggs set the comparable week a year ago, according to the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 84 percent.

Broiler-type chicks placed for meat production climbed 3 percent to 165 million chicks during the week ending Sept. 7. Cumulative placements increased 1 percent from Dec. 30, 2012, through Sept. 7, 2013, to total 5.95 billion.