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2 Dead Chickens Again Found in the Middle of the Road on Same 3-Block UWS Stretch

September 23, 2025 | 9:16 AM - Updated on September 30, 2025 | 11:06 AM
in NEWS, OUTDOORS
60
A pair of dead chickens found at the Broadway median on 91st Street. Photo by Matthew Elefant.

By Gus Saltonstall

It has happened again.

For the third time in a little over a year, a pair of dead chickens has been found on a Broadway median within the same Upper West Side stretch of blocks.

On Tuesday morning, two dead chickens were discovered on the median at 91st Street and Broadway.

Here is the pattern that has emerged.

  • September 23, 2025: 2 dead chickens found on the median at 91st Street and Broadway
  • May 24, 2025: 2 dead chickens found on the median at 89th Street and Broadway
  • June 25, 2024: 2 dead chickens found on the median at 92nd Street and Broadway

In all three cases, the chickens bear a striking resemblance to one and other, and the animals are laid out in the exact same way as before: on the outer ring of the street medians.

The chickens found in May of 2025 at the Broadway mall on 89th Street. Photo Credit: Sari Anthony.

The Rag has not been able to come up with answers so far in this mystery, but will continue to investigate the matter.

Read More:

  • Pair of Dead Chickens Found in the Middle of the Road for 2nd Time in 3 Block UWS Stretch
  • 2 Dead Chickens Found in the Middle of UWS Road

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Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.

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60 Comments
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Bill Williams
Bill Williams
4 months ago

Diversity is wonderful in all it’s manifestations. Embrace it.

23
Reply
Jackie
Jackie
4 months ago
Reply to  Bill Williams

Sorry, can’t embrace torturing or murdering animals for fun. Find a new ritual.

4
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Jackie

Sarcasm, obviously.

0
Reply
J R
J R
4 months ago
Reply to  Observer

What?

0
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
4 months ago
Reply to  Bill Williams

Are you a vegetarian or vegan, perchance?

0
Reply
Chris
Chris
4 months ago
Reply to  Bill Williams

Agree. Criticizing voodoo is racist, or something….

17
Reply
Peter
Peter
4 months ago

Mystery? It’s not a mystery. Just some wahoo bringing their “culture” to the road median on the UWS.

34
Reply
Good Humor
Good Humor
4 months ago
Reply to  Peter

sorry…what’s a wahoo?

1
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Good Humor

Possibly “yahoo”?

1
Reply
Cas
Cas
4 months ago
Reply to  Good Humor

A fish or a UVa alumni

5
Reply
Citycatsman
Citycatsman
4 months ago
Reply to  Peter

Oh…as opposed to some wahoo who airs his nasty assumptions in the WSR.

9
Reply
Peter
Peter
4 months ago
Reply to  Citycatsman

I’m so sorry. Didn’t mean to offend you. I forgot that in the WSR we’re supposed to only air our praise for slaughtering chickens and leaving them on the side of the road – the pinnacle of human achievement and civilization.

20
Reply
Vera
Vera
4 months ago
Reply to  Peter

In early Christianity a dead chicken symbolized the sacrifice of Christ. So much for “their” culture.
I bet it’s some spoiled kids trying to get media attention.

3
Reply
Miriam S
Miriam S
4 months ago
Reply to  Vera

Or the Jewish ritual of Kaporos. During Yom Kippur Eve a live chicken is swung over one’s head before slaughter as atonement.

8
Reply
neighbor
neighbor
4 months ago
Reply to  Miriam S

But none of these showed up at Yom Kippur.

6
Reply
Phoebe
Phoebe
4 months ago
Reply to  neighbor

And those get eaten (or given to the poor), not discarded on the side of the road.
No cultural relativism to see here. Oh well.
Next?

1
Reply
Lee
Lee
4 months ago
Reply to  Miriam S

A horrible ritual:” let’s slaughter an innocent animal to atone for OUR sins.” Likewise the idea that “a dead chicken symbolized the sacrifice of Christ.” (I presume they killed the chicken in that one as well). How about more loving compassion for other living creatures (sounds more Christ-like to me).

9
Reply
Ask me how I know
Ask me how I know
4 months ago
Reply to  Lee

Those chickens are available as food (but not kosher) so how does that differ from other slaughter for food? If you are a vegetarian advocate then yes equally abhorrent but not more so.

2
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Miriam S

Sounds like an outmoded ritual. Is there a movement that forbids such a practice?
The street chicken corpses sound more like voudoun, which is cruel to animals; or bizarre pranksters.

7
Reply
Lew Simon
Lew Simon
4 months ago
Reply to  Observer

Queens visits the UWS!

3
Reply
Sandi
Sandi
4 months ago

That is a terrible photo. One can’t tell where they are st all unlesss one looks at the full version of it in last article.

0
Reply
Sandi
Sandi
4 months ago

I think you mean the rag will continue to report on this not investigate.

6
Reply
Chris Gault
Chris Gault
4 months ago

Was RFK Jr. around? 😄

48
Reply
MRC
MRC
4 months ago

Kind of begs the question why DIDN’T the chickens cross the road…

21
Reply
Carmine
Carmine
4 months ago

It’s a message from Don Barzini– Luca Brasi sleeps with the chickens.

7
Reply
SCPNYC
SCPNYC
4 months ago

Chicken Rapture

5
Reply
Rand
Rand
4 months ago

Very bad news about where your chicken dinner comes from for anyone clutching their pearls over this. I think there are more racists than vegans among the outraged.

2
Reply
J R
J R
4 months ago
Reply to  Rand

More conclusion jumping.

1
Reply
Allison
Allison
4 months ago

Cue satanic panic in…

3
Reply
Wijmlet
Wijmlet
4 months ago

Geschlagt kapora?

0
Reply
Phoebe
Phoebe
4 months ago
Reply to  Wijmlet

There’s Tylenol for that.

0
Reply
Tito
Tito
4 months ago

Sounds like Brujería to me.

1
Reply
Gi Na
Gi Na
4 months ago
Reply to  Tito

Timeline matches up on 2 out of 3. (june, sept).

1
Reply
David
David
4 months ago

Looks as though RFK Jr. has been stalking the hens in Central Park and the UWS again!

10
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  David

Our beloved park coyote couple, Romeo and Juliet, probably would enjoy some hens left near the Delacorte Theater.

0
Reply
Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon
4 months ago

The chickens are now for sale at Barzini’s.

19
Reply
NewYorkerUWS
NewYorkerUWS
4 months ago

Very creepy. Thought I saw something like this on a median on Broadway in the 70s.

0
Reply
GiveMeCake
GiveMeCake
4 months ago
Reply to  NewYorkerUWS

The ‘70s were crazy.

5
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
4 months ago

With all the security cameras around it shouldn’t be hard to identify who is dropping off dead chickens.

16
Reply
Linda
Linda
4 months ago

Could be a Santeria ritual.

10
Reply
Susan
Susan
4 months ago

Maybe a chicken Hawk is dropping them there

2
Reply
James Monroe.2025
James Monroe.2025
4 months ago

Completely off topic but where can I get a good Sufganiyah in Manhattan? Are they made for today’s holiday?

1
Reply
Foodie
Foodie
4 months ago
Reply to  James Monroe.2025

Off topic and wrong holiday. It’s like asking for Easter eggs for Christmas.

4
Reply
Jimbo
Jimbo
4 months ago

SANTARIA

2
Reply
Regina
Regina
4 months ago

Santeria stuff… but they usually just throw them away in a bag, I wonder what the purpose of placing them like that is… I’m sure there’s video from restaurants etc.

5
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Regina

Attention.

0
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Regina

It’s just to mess with everyone, add that little touch of surrealism every day.

0
Reply
Ken
Ken
4 months ago

I guess we’ll never find out why the chicken crossed the road.

0
Reply
Freda
Freda
4 months ago

Animal cruelty, which we have laws against. But a law is only as good as its enforcement.

8
Reply
Michele
Michele
4 months ago

This is a standard brujeria, or voodoo sacrifice from ancient cultures. Not necessarily scary as it can be used to help a patient but it can be also used for the darker aspects of these traditions. The placing on Broadway I find fascinating myself. I hope it was a sacrifice for good.

3
Reply
Yvonne Langer
Yvonne Langer
4 months ago

Do the cameras show who is responsible?

1
Reply
Inpeace
Inpeace
4 months ago

One year ago (around this time ) I found a young, white chicken in a box in the Rambles. Passerby & some tourist were standing looking puzzled, while some were taking videos. Being local, I took the chicken to the Bird Rescue on Columbus & 88th. They could/would not take her as they only take wildlife birds. I was told to take her to the Animal Rescue at 102nd St., which I did. After some paperwork & intake I surrendered her there. On follow up, once she was treated & healthy, she was taken in by a sanctuary farm for farm animals upstate.

13
Reply
J R
J R
4 months ago
Reply to  Inpeace

Thank you decent, compassionate Inpeace.

3
Reply
Gretchen
Gretchen
4 months ago

Does this beg the question, why did the chicken cross the road?

0
Reply
Jackie
Jackie
4 months ago
Reply to  Gretchen

No, it doesn’t.

0
Reply
UWS Angel
UWS Angel
4 months ago

Popeyes trying to create a buzz

0
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
4 months ago

Look, this is unsanitary and people shouldn’t do it, but anyone who thinks raising chickens in hellish conditions (that produce ungodly levels of pollution, by the way), slaughtering them, buying their flesh, and eating it is somehow more “civilized” is kidding themselves. Or racist. Or both.

4
Reply
Observer
Observer
4 months ago
Reply to  Sarah

Factory “farms” are hideous.

3
Reply
Pay up CU
Pay up CU
4 months ago

I don’t practice Santeria, I ain’t got no crystal balllllll

0
Reply
Phoebe
Phoebe
4 months ago

It’s multi-cultural. Tolerance, and all that jazz.

0
Reply

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