Production included 6.68 billion table eggs, and 1.09 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.03 billion were broiler-type and 66 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during December 2006 averaged 348 million, down slightly from last year. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,234 eggs, down slightly from December 2005.

All layers in the U.S. on January 1, 2007 totaled 348 million, down slightly from last year. The 348 million layers consisted of 290 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 55.1 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 2.86 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1, 2007, averaged 71.1 eggs per 100 layers, down 1 percent from January 1, 2006.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Down 7 Percent

Egg-type chicks hatched during December 2006 totaled 33.4 million, down 7 percent from December 2005. Eggs in incubators totaled 34.4 million on January 1, 2007, down 3 percent from a year ago. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 205,000 during December 2006, down 17 percent from December 2005.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down 2 Percent

Broiler-type chicks hatched during December 2006 totaled 795 million, down 2 percent from December 2005. Eggs in incubators totaled 652 million on January 1, 2007, down 1 percent from a year earlier. Leading breeders placed 7.20 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during December 2006, up 1 percent from December 2005.

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