Sumi’s life started out like most chickens. She lived on a farm, laid eggs and did everything else chickens do. She likes grapes and mealworms. She doesn’t like onions.
In many ways, she’s a textbook chicken.
The only thing not typical about Sumi is her retirement gig.
While many embrace their old age as a chance to rest, Sumi has taken on a new mantle as an emotional support chicken at Friend’s Place Shelter — Bloomington’s primary overnight shelter for women.
Friend’s Place is an affiliate program of Beacon. Erica Alvey, Friend’s Place case manager and team leader, raised Sumi. Alvey’s family has a farm, she said, and they raise chickens for eggs, goats for milk and grow vegetables in a garden.
Sumi is a black Sumatra chicken, a breed that originated in the Sumatra Island of Indonesia. Alvey named Sumi after her breed.
Sumi’s 13 years old, Alvey said. Sumatra chickens typically live to be about 8 years old but can live up to 20 with proper care.
In Sumi’s old age, Alvey began to notice a major problem — as the chicken ran around the farm, as chickens often do, her neck didn’t properly support her head. Instead of keeping her head stable, it would spin around in circles, causing her to lose balance and making Alvey concerned for her health.
After the realization, Alvey began to keep Sumi indoors in pens, watching younger chicks. She was scared the grown hens and roosters would bully her.
Alvey began her role at Friend’s Place in August, she said. So did Sumi.
“I thought, ‘Well, let's see if, you know, people, maybe clients would like interacting with her,’” Alvey said.
They did.
Now, Sumi lives full time in a crate in Alvey’s office inside Friend’s Place. The office has become a sort of animal farm, because the shelter will sometimes foster animals for its clients while they find housing.
Sumi’s current coworker, besides Alvey, is a white cat with brown spots named Snowball.
“She doesn't make the ‘loud chicken noises.’” Alvey said. “The first time a cat was in here, she made a little bit of a distress sound or one time, someone brought a dog in, she made a little bit of a distress call.”
Sumi’s almost iridescent, black feathers are softer than they appear. The colorful, reflective sheen over the black feathers was described by Lindsey Dominguez, the Friend’s Place program director, as mimicking the appearance of an oil spill.
Whenever Sumi’s taken out of her cage and is put onto someone’s lap, she’s accompanied by a “just in case” green hand towel, functioning as a diaper.
Alvey said many of the shelter’s clients seek out Sumi’s company.
“It ended up being quite amazing, actually, the connection she's been able to make with some people and the comfort she's brought to some people,” Alvey said.
One time, Alvey was comforting a woman going through severe psychosis. It didn’t seem like anything was helping. So, she brought out Sumi and started telling the client about her.
“She was patting around seeing how soft she was and it kind of grounded her and enabled her to be able to sleep,” Alvey said. “It kind of brought her a little more back into our, you know, shared reality.”
Dominguez helps care for Sumi when Alvey isn’t working.
“Usually, I'm just talking to her as I'm doing whatever,” Dominguez said, before adopting a baby voice. “So, like, ‘Excuse me, I'm gonna get your water now.’”
Clients talk to Sumi, too. They hold her and tell her about their days.
“I think all animals have a capacity to connect with human beings,” Alvey said. “I don't think people realize, a lot of people think chickens are stupid, but they're actually not. I mean, well, they're little dinosaurs. in some ways. I think just any animal has a capacity to make connection, and I think she feels that. I think they innately feel that kind of energy or that ability to connect with love and with affection, depending on how they're treated, you know? She's wise, she's old and she likes to give a little advice.”
Dominguez said most clients just call Sumi by her name as they’re talking to her.
“We have had a few people make like fried chicken jokes,” Dominguez said. “That’s not our girl. She's not interested in that.”
Sumi’s tenure at Friend’s Place shows no signs of stopping. The clients love it. The employees love it. Sumi probably loves it.
“I think it's fun for people to have something unique, you know, something a little different,” Alvey said. “I know some of the people, some of our coworkers in the community and other agencies like to come by and visit her once in a while. She can add a little de-stress, you know like, ‘Hey, just stop by and hold the chicken.’”
Sumi the chicken, though she was a rather vocal onlooker during most of the interview with the Indiana Daily Student, declined to comment.
