(NAFB.com) – The USDA reported that American hatcheries increased placements of eggs and chicks during the week ending on February 14. Hatcheries set 254 million eggs in incubators during the week, which the agency said is up two percent year-over-year. The average hatchability, which is the number of chicks hatched by eggs set three weeks earlier, was 79 percent. Broiler placements totaled 196 million chicks for meat, also a two percent increase. From January 10 through February 14, placements increased two percent on an annual basis to 1.18 billion. Georgia had the largest number of broiler-type eggs, set at 36.3 billion. Alabama was close behind at 35.9 billion, and Arkansas had 26.7 billion. Those same three states also led the country in broiler chicks placed. Georgia was first at 29.7 million, followed by Alabama at 24.2 billion, and Arkansas at 21.7 billion.