Matilda (1990 – February 11, 2006) was a
hen
Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman.
Hen or Hens may also refer to:
Places Norway
*Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
, and the first
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
to receive the title of World's Oldest Living Chicken from
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
. She is thought to have been descended from the Red Pyle color variation of the
Old English Game breed. She was a pet of Keith and Donna Barton of
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a southwestern suburb of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. The population was 26,019 at the 2020 census. It is within the Birmingham- Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area, of which Jefferson County is the ...
, a suburb of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
.
Matilda's name was taken from "
Waltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is a song developed in the Australian style of poetry and folk music called a bush ballad. It has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem".
The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing) ...
", an old Australian folk song, and given to her as a result of her penchant for stepping side to side (as if she were waltzing) against the wire panels on the sides of her cage.
Unlike most hens, Matilda never produced eggs. Her veterinarians believed Matilda's lack of egg production contributed significantly to her extraordinarily long lifespan of sixteen years.
Another contributing factor to Matilda's longevity was her having lived the majority of her life indoors, inside a large wire cage, where she enjoyed a stable, protected environment year-round.
Magic career
On October 19, 1990, Keith and Donna went to the
Alabama State Fairgrounds in
Fairfield, Alabama
Fairfield is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area and is located southeast of Pleasant Grove. The population was 11,117 at the 2010 census.
History
This city was founded i ...
, and paid $10 () to purchase Matilda from Steve Shaffield of
Warrior, Alabama
Warrior is a city in Jefferson and Blount counties in the State of Alabama. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,224. It is a northern suburb of Birmingham.
History
Warrior was incorporated in either 1889 or 1899, though most records cite ...
.
Under the stage names of Mort The Mystifying and Donna, Keith and Donna were pursuing their goal of becoming professional
magicians
Magician or The Magician may refer to:
Performers
* A practitioner of magic (supernatural)
* A practitioner of magic (illusion)
* Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context
Entertainment
Books
* ''The Magician'', an 18th-ce ...
, and Matilda was part of their plan. On June 5, 1991, she made her debut performance in Keith's and Donna's magic show.
To make Matilda magically appear, Keith would produce an egg from two cardboard tubes, which were shown empty and then nested one inside the other. After cracking the egg, dropping its contents into an empty pan, and adding a few drops of hot sauce, Keith would place the lid on the pan and immediately lift the lid to reveal Matilda. Her magic career would span well over a decade.
Celebrity status
World's Oldest Living Chicken
Considering that the average lifespan of a chicken is generally no more than seven to eight years, in 2001, Keith and Donna contacted
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
, at which point Matilda was eleven years old. After the documentation of Matilda's age had been verified and substantiated, Guinness World Records proclaimed fourteen-year-old Matilda to be World's Oldest Living Chicken on April 27, 2004. Keith and Donna were presented with a congratulatory letter and official certificate from Guinness World Records.
Matilda's title of World's Oldest Living Chicken is recorded in the data banks at Guinness World Records, but has not been included in their books or on their website.
''The Tonight Show''
As a direct result of Matilda's receiving the title of World's Oldest Living Chicken, Keith, Donna and Matilda were guests of
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...
on ''
The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' in an episode that taped and aired on September 9, 2004. Also appearing on the show were
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Since 1994, he has been a television sports analyst an ...
,
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...
and
Howie Long
Howard Matthew Moses Long (born January 6, 1960) is an American sports analyst and former professional football player. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons as a defensive end, spending his entire career with the Raider ...
. Musical guests were
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American songwriter, choir director, gospel singer, and rapper. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel ensembles such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) a ...
and
Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million album ...
. Matilda, who was accustomed to performing on stage, strutted on top of Jay's desk, nibbled breadcrumbs, played with her favorite toy, and did a well-received impersonation of the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
peacock.
Ambassador of good will
Following her appearance on ''The Tonight Show'', Matilda became an ambassador of good will, appearing as an honored guest at numerous charitable events in Birmingham, Alabama, including:
*Blessing of the Animals at St. Martin's in the Pines (October 3, 2004) (October 2, 2005)
*Tails and Art Benefit for the Alabama Animal Foundation (October 17, 2004)
*Wet Nose Ball for TEARS (The Emergency Animal Rescue Service) (May 14, 2005)
* Picasso Pets for Hand-in-Paw (August 28, 2005)
Olivia Bearden Award
On September 22, 2005, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society held their annual awards luncheon at The Club in Birmingham, Alabama. The Olivia Bearden Award, which recognizes the specific service of an animal to another living creature (human or animal), was presented to Matilda. Magically appearing to accept her award, Matilda perched on top of the plaque as it was held by Keith.
Death
Due to age-related health problems, Matilda retired from show business on October 17, 2005, and died, at the age of sixteen, on February 11, 2006. From the time she received the title of World's Oldest Living Chicken, Matilda lived one year, nine months, and fifteen days.
Final resting place
Both Keith and Donna wished for Matilda to be laid to rest in a place of honor in Alabama, but no suitable burial plot could be located. In 2006, Keith stated that Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in
Hartsdale, New York
Hartsdale is a hamlet located in the town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,293 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of New York City.
History
Hartsdale, a CDP/hamlet/post-office in the town of Green ...
was being considered, and that until a final resting place could be decided upon, Matilda's body would be kept in frozen storage.
Posthumous honors
Broken Perch Ceremony
To honor Matilda's contributions to the world of magic, a Broken Perch Ceremony was conducted on Saturday, August 5, 2006. The ceremony, which was held at the Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama, was hosted by the Southeastern Association of Magicians and Ring 35 of the
International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is an organization for both professional and amateur close-up and stage magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Charles, Missouri. There are over 300 lo ...
. Based on the
Broken Wand Ceremony
A broken wand ceremony is a ritual performed at or shortly before the funeral of a magician, in which a wand — either the wand which the magician used in performances, or a ceremonial one — is broken, indicating that with the magician's death, ...
, which was initially performed in 1926 at the funeral of
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...
, the Broken Perch Ceremony for Matilda was the first time that a magician's animal had been formally recognized and honored by the magic community.
Bob Sanders, President of Ring 35, officiated at the ceremony; Jacque Meyer, Executive Director of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, delivered the eulogy; and Bill Pitts, Past President of the International Brotherhood Of Magicians, conducted the Broken Perch ritual. In honor of Matilda's many accomplishments, Bob Sanders presented Keith and Donna with a Commendation, which had been drafted by Alabama Governor Bob Riley.
Alabama Animal Hall of Fame
The Alabama Veterinary Medical Association inducted Matilda into the Alabama Animal Hall of Fame on September 9, 2006, at a black tie dinner, which was held at Embassy Suites Montgomery Hotel in
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...
. The ceremony was exactly two years to the date on which Matilda had appeared on ''The Tonight Show''. Two dogs, Gucci and Muffin, were also inducted.
See also
*
List of individual birds
This is a list of well-known real birds. For famous fictional birds, see list of fictional birds.
* Águia Vitória, a bald eagle who serves as the mascot for Portuguese football club S.L. Benfica
* Albert Ross, an albatross believed to have been ...
References
{{reflist, 2
Individual chickens
1990 animal births
2006 animal deaths
Bessemer, Alabama
Individual animals in the United States