10/14/2026
We recently took in a flock of Kaporos survivors.
Kaporos is a religious custom practiced by some sects of Orthodox Judaism ahead of the Day of Atonement. This entails a person saying a prayer and swinging a chicken over their head, then passing it to a kosher slaughterer, who cuts the chicken’s throat. The belief is that the sins of the human are transferred into the chicken and die with the chicken, absolving the person of their sins. This practice has faced animal cruelty controversies for years, and there has been a push for people to use money instead of animals.
Thousands of chickens are slaughtered on the sidewalks of New York each year, and the meat is traditionally supposed to be used for the day’s meals or donated to charity. Rescuers, however, continuously witness firsthand the chickens being bagged up and thrown in dumpsters—some still alive when this happens. This year, two U-Haul trucks filled with chickens were abandoned on the side of the road, leaving birds to die inside.
Rescuers scramble every year to rescue and place hundreds of leftover and surviving chickens. These are the lucky ones who weren’t used, or were used but didn’t die when their throats were cut, or were still alive when they were bagged up. When animal protection laws contradict freedom of religion, animals always lose.
This puts a strain on rescues across the country who offer placement for these chickens. Any intake of a flock like this further increases our weekly grain bill, our biggest expense throughout the year—but we have to do our part to help. We sincerely appreciate donations of grain to support their care and second chance. As always, our current grain and seed needs are listed on our Amazon Wishlist at amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2DV5A73S6S6C1. Donations can be dropped off or shipped to 3600 Lynn Ave., Castle Hayne, NC 28429 anytime.
