I have many years of experience involving the care of chickens. By virtue of my training as a veterinarian and my experience, I am qualified to comment on the welfare and well-being of chickens. It is in this context that I make the following comments on the practice known as kapparot (kaporos).

In much of what I state, there is an assumption that the chickens used are of two types, those raised for egg production or so-called broilers. Chickens used for egg production are largely those who were bred for and selected to maximise egg production and who have been reared under what is termed intense confinement conditions such as battery cages, the latter which are associated with substantial pathologic effects on the chickens (Taylor & Hurnik 1994). So-called broilers are also intensively raised and selected for rapid growth, which leads to major and painful pathological changes particularly in their legs (Danbury et al. 2000; Kestin et al. 1992; Riddell 1983; Shim et al. 2012). Even with chickens who are not of these types, issues of anatomy, behaviour and physiology still apply.

Chickens are so-called prey animals. They instinctively fear being handled by those who they would consider predators, including humans. With kapparot, the chickens must endure capture for transportation, the transportation itself, capture again for the kapparot, being swung around in the air and more. Being swung through the air is completely foreign to the chicken and this adds further stress.

Like all prey animals, survivability is enhanced by being able to avoid notice by predators. One of the means by which this is accomplished is by not displaying signs of disability where possible (Hansen et al. 1993), even while enduring situations known to cause substantial pain. As a result, chickens subjected to kapparot may not show outward signs of being in distress. One cannot assume, however, that this means they are not enduring pain (Gentle et al. 1987) or experiencing extreme fear as indicated by tonic immobility (Hansen et al. 1993).

Handling chickens by their legs–particularly for so-called broilers (Gentle et al. 2000; Riddell 1983 )–or wings alone or by pulling back the wings to an extreme position above their backs would be painful in itself, but can also lead to injuries which exacerbate the pain. For example, pulling back the wings can lead to stretching and tearing of ligaments and other soft tissue; this is compounded when the chickens are held in this position for long periods or when they are subjected to added forces caused by being swung through the air. Those chickens from battery conditions may have the added complication of osteoporosis leading to easily broken bones, causing additional pain (Hughes et al. 1989; King 1965; Knowles et al. 1990; Newberry et al. 1999; Simonsen et al. 1978). So-called broilers also have a higher predisposition to broken bones or painful joint dislocations (Riddell 1983; Shim et al. 2012).

It is my understanding that chickens used in kapparot also are subjected to the withholding of food and water for several days. For animals such as chickens who have high metabolic demands, this causes suffering (Duncan et al. 2000). The situation is further compounded if the chickens are of a breed that was bred for maximized meat production. All the photographs I have seen of kapparot show chickens who appear to be Cornish Cross chickens, a breed heavily modified through intense selection for rapid growth (so-called broilers). The rapid growth and associated metabolic demands of broiler chickens add to the suffering caused by food and water withholding.

The transportation of the chickens to the site of the kapparot is highly aversive and causes substantial welfare degradation (Freeman 1984; Mills et al. 1990; Newberry et al. 1999; Nicol et al. 1991). It can cause extreme distress, as exhibited by shock and metabolic collapse, and death. This is compounded by the withholding of food and water (Warriss et al 1993).

Subjecting chickens to this type of treatment also clearly violates the principles of animal welfare put forth by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the largest professional veterinary organisation worldwide, which states that animals "should be cared for in ways that minimize fear, pain, stress, and suffering" (AVMA).

Nedim C Buyukmihci, V.M.D.
Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Medicine
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California-Davis
E-mail: ncbuyukmihci@ucdavis.edu

References

• Kaporos