January Egg Production Down Slightly

US - US egg production totaled 7.53 billion during December 2003, up 1 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report.
calendar icon 24 February 2004
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January Egg Production Down Slightly - US - US egg production totaled 7.53 billion during December 2003, up 1 percent from last year, report the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their monthly Chickens and Eggs report.

U.S. egg production totaled 7.38 billion during January 2004, down slightly from last year. Production included 6.32 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 996 million were broiler-type and 60.0 million were egg-type.

The total number of layers during January 2004 averaged 338 million, down 1 percent from a year earlier. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,184 eggs, up 1 percent from January 2003.

January 2004 contained 22 weekdays, 2 holidays, and 5 Saturdays, compared to January 2003 which contained 23 weekdays, 2 holidays, and 4 Saturdays.

Average Number Of All Layers
United States 2001 - 2004


All layers in the U.S. on February 1, 2004, totaled 338 million, down 1 percent from a year ago. The 338 million layers consisted of 280 million layers producing table or commercial type eggs, 55.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.48 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on February 1, 2004, averaged 69.8 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from a year ago.

Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced 6.88 billion eggs during January 2004, down 1 percent from a year ago. The average number of layers during January, at 315 million, was down 1 percent from a year ago.

Individual State estimates are available for the 30 major egg producing States. These States are listed on page 8 of this release and account for approximately 94 percent of the total U.S. egg production.

Production for the other States are grouped into an "Other States" category and combined with the 30 States published individually to obtain a U.S. estimate.

Special Note

Preliminary 2002 Census data were used in the review process for the revised 2002 and 2003 layer and egg estimates in this publication. The revised estimates may appear disjointed from historical data until the release of the 5 - year Final Estimates publications which are scheduled for April 29, 2004.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 6 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during January totaled 35.4 million, up 6 percent from January 2003. Eggs in incubators totaled 30.5 million on February 1, 2004, up 11 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 164,000 during January 2004, down 17 percent from January 2003.

Broiler Hatch Up 2 Percent

The January 2004 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 774 million, was up 2 percent from January of the previous year. There were 636 million eggs in incubators on February 1, 2004, up 1 percent from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 6.8 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during January 2004, up 9 percent from January 2003.

To view the full report, including tables, please click here

Source: USDA NASS - Chickens and Eggs Report - 23rd February 2004

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