Following is the text of the U.S. chicken and eggs report, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
October Egg Production Down Slightly
United States egg production totaled 7.68 billion during October 2010, down slightly from last year. Production included 6.60 billion table eggs, and 1.08 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.01 billion were broiler-type and 71 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during October 2010 averaged 336 million, up slightly from last year. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,285 eggs, down slightly from October 2009.
All layers in the United States on November 1, 2010 totaled 336 million, down slightly from last year. The 336 million layers consisted of 279 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.96 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2010, averaged 73.8 eggs per 100 layers, down 1 percent from November 1, 2009.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 10 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during October 2010 totaled 41.3 million, up 10 percent from October 2009. Eggs in incubators totaled 38.6 million on November 1, 2010, up 12 percent from a year ago.