Does anybody raise birds for feathers?

[max13077]

I love to tie flies for fishing and that was the original intent I had when I decided to get chickens. Commercial hackle necks and saddles are outlandishly expensive. So I thought I would raise them for their feathers and by the by, I'd have some extra meat too. Well, that's fallen by the wayside cause I love my chickies so much now. Anybody else tie?

 

[brooster]

Since you usually kill the bird for the feathers, we wait until good ones to use fall out, then we collect them and give them to our friend that ties. She has told use the ones she uses, and the color, and we have gotten her lots of feathers. It is easy to get feathers when they molt too!

 

[max13077]

I was thinking when I process my meat birds, I'll have capes galore!! Just dye them whatever color you want!

 

[mmajw]

We sell deer tails for ties never thought of feathers.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Awhile back someone had a long post about breeding chickens for hackles for fly tieing. Do a search and you should find it. It was really interesting and those birds had really long hackles and saddles. I think the biggest breeder is out west....Idaho or Oregon I think.

 

[nautical_bouy]

I have some andalusians and Exchequer leghorn with awesome colors,,,, if you want them, let me know.

 

[chicken_angler]

Hello. I tie flies too. I have been collecting some of the feathers from my millie fluer duccle roosters. They are really pretty. I have even used feathers from my old neighboor who had a parrakeet. It had green feathers which made some really cool flies. Do you think you could show me a picture of you fly tying desk? I will show mine when I get it all set-up. We just moved so most of my fishing stuff is still packed. Now I have a pond to test my flies in. What is your favorite fly? Mine is the Mylar Mickey Finn.


-Chickenman8