Meet Umdloti’s ‘Peri the sea chicken’, saved from a sacrificial ritual

Her day starts with a social breakfast at Tasca in Umdloti, followed by some brooding in her shopping trolley and ends with her night time guard duty on top of the fire hose.

Peri – or simply Hoendertjie – is Umdloti’s most famous and loved speckled brown chicken who has been living the dream since her adopted mom, Almi Kirby, saved her from a sacrificial ritual in May last year.

“We went for a sunset walk on the beach when I said to my partner, look at that strange dog in the waves – it looks like a chicken,” said Almi, who moved to Umdloti two years ago.

On closer inspection, it turned out to be a chicken!

“We caught her, wrapped her in my soft, warm winter top and she spent the next two days on our balcony. She was so traumatised and hungry.”

Disaster struck when Peri flew over the railing and landed on the road below, leaving Almi distraught over her lost chicken.

“I cried and was really worried because I could not find her anywhere. I was sure that was the end of Hoendertjie.”

Later that afternoon though, Peri was spotted strolling along the grass at the complex entrance.

“I rushed down, gave her food and since then she has been a free spirit born from the ocean. Everyone knows and loves her,” said Almi, while feeding the chatty Peri some mielies.

“She is full of stories! When I call her, she comes running to me. No one else can catch her. She knows me and loves to cuddle and pick on my dangling earrings.”

She said Peri is in no danger of being caught and ending up on someone’s dinner plate because she is carrying so much sin.

“Peri was part of a ritual performed on the beach. A dark chicken and a white chicken are used for the ritual.

“The white one is the lamb for slaughter and the dark one is the scapegoat. All the sins are placed on the scapegoat. It was actually a blessing for her and has made her the happiest chicken!”

As a thank you for her second chance at life, Peri lays an egg for her mom every morning in a shopping trolley which has now been made into a nest for her in the garage of the complex.

“She blesses me with a truly free range egg everyday.”

While Almi and Peri have a touching relationship, Almi said she hoped to find a forever home on a farm for her beloved Hoendertjie.

“I would love for her to have chicks and live a safe, happy life on a farm with other chickens.”

She said if anyone would like to give Peri a new home, they should write a short story about what her life would be like and send it to elana@northcoastcourier.co.za.

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