Grizzly hackle feathers

[Irishrover]

This spring I went out and bought 50 barred rock chicks to raise as laying hens. I thought it would be a kick for the grandkids to go out and gather farm fresh eggs. One of them in the batch turned out to be a rooster. I figured that would work out just fine, I'd raise him up and later butcher, and skin him. I spent some time looking on the net to find the best way to skin the critter to make a nice cape. I also wanted to know the best way to cure the feathers so that mites or whatever would not destroy the feathers over time. I thought it would be a real blast to land a fish on a fly I tied from chicken feathers off a chicken that I raised. One of my grandsons, a five year old derailed my plan. He named the rooster Liam and when he and his brother a three year old come over to collect the eggs, he always makes sure to say hi to Liam the rooster. Now the birds is as tall as the three year old grandson and they talk eye to eye. Well the bird doesn't talk just the grandkids. So now I figure if I want to use some feathers from that bird they will have to come off one at a time while he continues to walk around and strut his stuff! That is a lucky bird and the eggs oh they are great!

 

[jhop111]

One out of fifty isn't bad odds! I ended up eating 3 out of my ten that didn't keep quiet in the early mornings.

 

[Raincatcher]

Great story, Lonn. Whatever you do, don't let him name the eggs!

 

[Irishrover]

Don't name the eggs! That's a good point......cause I sure like them.....on a plate that is.

Originally there were four roosters in the bunch. I wanted to cut down the size of the flock so I sold 10 chickens to this fellow. I let him pick out any 10 he wanted. He kept saying he wanted the big ones. I said ok take the ones you want. He took three of the roosters!

 

[troutmasta]

One of our chickens went from dinner to having the name "Red" and she would come in the house and sit on laps.

Then she met the neighboor Mr. Coyote, he didn't care that she had a name.:frown-new:

 

[Irishrover]

Coyotes can be darn disrespectful in my opinion.

 

[troutmasta]

Yes sir, I got no love for coyotes, we live in the country and have cats and chickens.

 

[GraphiteZen]

When I was a kid, I had a rooster I named Pancake that ended up getting hit by a log truck. True story.

 

[OnTheFly]

I'd like the address of the guy that inadvertently took the three roosters so I can send him a sympathy card. That's funny stuff! And it's just as well you're keeping the one rooster because for 30 to 50 bucks, you can get a quality Whiting cape that will last years. Heck, I'm picking feathers off of the olive cape I bought, back I don't know when, and still tying crystal buggers with it. Also, you want to be careful. Fly fishermen are already borderline purists and raising homegrown hackles might be crossing the line! lol.

Serious note: I had a very aggressive rooster once that would attack me, spurs first, at just about face level. Keep an eye on it around your grand kids.

 

[Irishrover]

Thanks for the heads up. I might find out a way to cut those spurs off!

 

[JeannaJigs]

I know this is an old thread...but this winter I quit fishing and started chicken farming. No, for reals, that's what happened. I have an assortment of four breeds, they're still very young, only about 8 weeks old. However, I have a chick named Pot Pie that's a barred rock, and damn those feathers are sexy. Sadly, this chick almost died and I had to hand feed her etc, and now she's the tamest and thinks she's a dog, her and Ava are homies...so there's no way I can eat that one. Is it possible to use feathers plucked here and there? or will they not work as well lol. I use a ton of barred hackle in jigs and god help me if I steal jim's bugger recipe lol. I'm tempted to start cruising craigslist for an unwanted barred rock rooster, I see them posted all the time from people in the city that can't keep them when they realize their "hen" started crowing.

 

[Irishrover]

You ol' chicken farmer sure you can use feathers plucked one at a time. Some of my best soft hackle that I have tied come from pillow feather I find near my bed. Its a bad habit but I'll see a feather and think hey I can tie a fly with that. Have fun with the chickens, my gal are producing plenty of eggs now and they are a hoot to have around.

 

[JeannaJigs]

Excellent. I can't wait for mine to start laying, I think I have a few months before I'll see any eggs, I currently have their nesting area closed off. They just spent their first night outdoors in their coop, boy was it nice to get them out of the brooder that was in my house. Noisy rambunctious little turds = not conducive to sleeping during the day.

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