Genetic Hackle Eggs

[Tuckerjamez]

It seems that it's almost impossible to find genuine genetic hackle eggs.

 

[roosterhavoc]

It seems that it's almost impossible to find genuine genetic hackle eggs.

The few people that “truly” have genetic birds for fly tying keep them under lock and key. They make extremely good money from them. You can’t expect these few to just sell you eggs. That’s never going to happen. They raise and harvest thousands of birds a year for this purpose. There is far more to just pretty feathers to it. Barb density, whether the feather will wrap around the hook shank without twisting. (Big issue with most) etc...
I’ve yet to see anyone except a few of the big names with the quality needed for tying consistent flies. The big name guys paid big money for the birds they have. Why would you expect anyone to just hand you many years of work for practically nothing. You don’t need genetic birds to tie pike flies anyway.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Not sure what area of the country you are in, but @dheltzel is a member in the Northeast who is starting to raise these.

 

[Tuckerjamez]

The few people that “truly” have genetic birds for fly tying keep them under lock and key. They make extremely good money from them. You can’t expect these few to just sell you eggs. That’s never going to happen. They raise and harvest thousands of birds a year for this purpose. There is far more to just pretty feathers to it. Barb density, whether the feather will wrap around the hook shank without twisting. (Big issue with most) etc...
I’ve yet to see anyone except a few of the big names with the quality needed for tying consistent flies. The big name guys paid big money for the birds they have. Why would you expect anyone to just hand you many years of work for practically nothing. You don’t need genetic birds to tie pike flies anyway.

Yes, I agree with you. It took so long to develop their qualities, it would be very unlikely to share with the masses, so it's indeed an impossibility. Someone mentioned in a previous post to make sure the birds lineage is documented and be weary while buying. But I don't think there are birds of that caliber available for backyard chickeners such as myself. Although if there were, I would love to know. Anyway I don't want a end product chicken. I want birds with a head start, that I could myself attempt to selectively breed to create longer feathers for pike fishing. I'm not too worried about the finer specifics of feather quality.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Yes, I agree with you. It took so long to develop their qualities, it would be very unlikely to share with the masses, so it's indeed an impossibility. Someone mentioned in a previous post to make sure the birds lineage is documented and be weary while buying. But I don't think there are birds of that caliber available for backyard chickeners such as myself. Although if there were, I would love to know. Anyway I don't want a end product chicken. I want birds with a head start, that I could myself attempt to selectively breed to create longer feathers for pike fishing. I'm not too worried about the finer specifics of feather quality.

Do you tie flies? The longer more webby feathers on just about any roosters cape and saddle will work just fine for what your looking for. Even the longtails and ohikis will technically work too. I’ve had birds from all the available sources. While some were pretty good most were just ok. I’ve still got some. I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade here but nobody on backyard chickens has anything worth raising for actual tying unless your just screwing around with em.

 

[Tuckerjamez]

Do you tie flies? The longer more webby feathers on just about any roosters cape and saddle will work just fine for what your looking for. Even the longtails and ohikis will technically work too. I’ve had birds from all the available sources. While some were pretty good most were just ok. I’ve still got some. I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade here but nobody on backyard chickens has anything worth raising for actual tying unless your just screwing around with em.

I have been tying flies the past few years, all my knowledge is from youtube though, and a few books. I'd consider myself a beginner. I have bought all the supplies I've used so far, except for some pheasant feathers and alpaca fiber. I have been starring at my Rhode Island Red rooster the past few weeks imagining he might not make a bad pike fly haha, he knows something up.
There was one forum post from a few years ago I saw on backyard chickens. A guy who had spent 5-7 years selectively breeding his farm chickens for longer feathers, as well as size, for meat, and it looked like he had made some great progress. I'm sure they may not have possessed many of the desired qualities, but what he had done was impressive and I wanted to try something similar and really just lean along the way.

 

[Bross63]

You want Whiting True Blue which were developed just for producing tie flying chickens by a professor at NC State. I’ve got eggs in my incubator right now and will have them in the future.

I got mine from Dragonfly Farm in Hillsborough, NC. She breeds for color in her roosters.

No, you don’t want Whiting true blues. Those have nothing to do with genetic hackle or feathers intended for tying flies. Whiting true blues are simply Tom Whiting’s blue egg laying bird he created as another way of using his genetics expertise in molding a line around specific intended traits - in this case egg production.

 

[dheltzel]

I love looking at my Genetic Hackle birds. I don't tie flies, so I can't speak to the quality of their feathers for that purpose, but has anyone ever seen a rooster with prettier hackle and saddle feathers than this guy? I keep them for enjoyment only. For that purpose they are fine regardless of their "quality" for tying flies.

 

[Johnny Kool]

I have been tying flies the past few years, all my knowledge is from youtube though, and a few books. I'd consider myself a beginner. I have bought all the supplies I've used so far, except for some pheasant feathers and alpaca fiber. I have been starring at my Rhode Island Red rooster the past few weeks imagining he might not make a bad pike fly haha, he knows something up.
There was one forum post from a few years ago I saw on backyard chickens. A guy who had spent 5-7 years selectively breeding his farm chickens for longer feathers, as well as size, for meat, and it looked like he had made some great progress. I'm sure they may not have possessed many of the desired qualities, but what he had done was impressive and I wanted to try something similar and really just lean along the way.

I think you're thinking of either Ed Chiasson or me. Eds a nice guy and may sell you some eggs. His birds do have nice capes but im not sure of tying quality. If you just want length and no other qualities get a phoenix from a nice line. If you truly truly want to get into breeding hackle PM me and i will help you out. I dont want to see another person get fooled on hackles but i also dont like when people and serious about the time it takes to breed them. I dont mean that in a bad way just saying it takes patience that most people dont have.

 

[Tuckerjamez]

Not sure what area of the country you are in, but @dheltzel is a member in the Northeast who is starting to raise these.

Thank you, I see that Dheltzel has posted in here. Beautiful birds. I also live in the Northeast.