I would like to start raising roosters for tying flies. I have lots of information from other threads about feather quality, but how does one create these feathers? I read that Grizzlies were originally from Barred Rocks crossed with Blue Andalusions and Old English Game. How are the chickens bred to get longer and longer saddles? And what about getting them free of webbing? Is that a special trait or do they have to reach a certain age before the feathers lose webbing? Also, how do breeders get them to skip years between moulting?
Yeah it is doubtful Metz or Hoffman will disclose trade secrets. In all seriousness unless you are hoping to go big time Hoffman hackles were a bargain,as I imagine Whitings are now, considering all the hackles on a cape or saddle. When I was tying professionally back in the late 80's brown and dun were scarce. Grizzley was in great supply. It seemed that once a decade there would be a huge die off of a particular color. Now upon research it seems I am a couple of decades out of touch, lol. Still it has been done by several fly fishers over the years. If you could see what I used for hackle in 1981 when I won the youth fly tying contest at the FFF conclave in Spokane WA.
A fly shop owner told me that after a certain age the hackles will lose all webbing. I have a couple of roosters right now that have good dry fly hackles, but they are too wide of a feather. I think maybe bantams would be a good idea.
At times, Toni- Marie Astin might have hatching eggs for sale from her fly tie strain. Look her up by doing a search and contact through her site Onagadorisouthfeatherfarm. I also think Stewart Longtails has a pair for sale - look up Amanda Stewart at Stewart Longtails as a Google site. I think she may already have listed the pair on the adult sale chicken pages in the for sale section here on BYC. These are representative of a strain that I have bred into my longtails. I do not have birds or eggs available at this time.
