Sophie Bennett
Chicken feathers are commonly used for fly tying, and there are numerous ways to tie and use them. The feathers from a male chicken (a rooster or cock) and a female chicken (a hen) differ in nature, especially the feathers on the neck, back, and shoulder, which are called hackles. Saddles and capes (both called pelts) come from both roosters and hens, with saddle feathers taken from the back end of the bird and cape feathers taken from the upper part, starting at the neck. The feathers on the backs of the thighs and under the tail of both hens and roosters can be used as a substitute for marabou on smaller flies. The rooster's tail feathers, sometimes called cock tails, can also be used for certain fly patterns. While it is not necessary to raise birds to obtain feathers for fly tying, it is possible to do so with minimal space and skills. After slaughtering the bird, it is best to skin it and salt the saddle and hackles, rather than scalding, to preserve the feathers. There are several methods to clean and preserve chicken feathers for fly tying, including air-drying, using a hairdryer, and applying borax to the skin.
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What You'll Learn
Skinning and slaughtering the bird
Skinning and slaughtering a chicken for its feathers requires several steps. Firstly, it is recommended to skin the bird after it has been slaughtered. This can be done by cutting off the desired sections of feathers, such as the neck, back, or saddle, before proceeding with the rest of the processing. It is important to note that scalding the chicken is not advised if the feathers are intended for fly tying, as this can damage the feathers and make them less suitable for tying.
After slaughtering and removing the desired sections, the feathers can be plucked by hand or with the help of a machine. Hand plucking is often preferred for fly-tying feathers, as it is easier to separate the desired feathers from the rest. Once plucked, the feathers should be cleaned and preserved to prevent the oils and remaining meat from causing odour issues and attracting bugs. Air drying is an option, but it is not ideal as the materials can start to smell over time.
One recommended method for cleaning and preserving feathers is to use borax. Lay the feathers flat on cardboard and sprinkle borax onto any raw skin. Gently rub it into the skin and let it dry. For thin-skinned birds, this process can be completed within a few hours, while thicker-skinned birds may take several days. After a day, shake off the excess borax and let the feathers continue to dry, skin side up, until the skin becomes stiff.
Another method for drying feathers is to use a hairdryer on low heat. Set the hairdryer to a low setting and slowly go over the feathers until they are dry. Be careful not to focus the heat on one spot for too long, as you only want to warm the skin, not make it hot. This method helps to retain the natural sheen of the feathers.
It is worth noting that some people choose to skip the cleaning and preserving steps and simply air-dry the feathers. However, this can lead to odour issues and may affect the overall appearance of the feathers. Ultimately, the decision depends on the tier's preferences and the intended use of the feathers.
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Cleaning and preserving feathers
Before cleaning, it is important to note that feathers and furs can be air-dried for fly-tying. However, without proper preservation, the oils within them, as well as any meat or fat remaining on the hide, can taint and deteriorate over time. Therefore, it is recommended to clean and preserve feathers and furs to ensure their longevity.
To clean feathers and furs, it is essential to remove any meat, fat, or grease from the materials. For thin-skinned animals, pull each feather loose or clip it at the base next to the skin. For duck skins, carefully separate the skin from the body using a sharp knife, and scrape off any layers of fat. Soaking the materials in a solution of ammonia (approximately one cup per gallon of water) for a few hours can help remove grease and other contaminants. Afterward, rinse the materials thoroughly and wash them with dishwashing liquid, followed by a final rinse with Woolite to add luster to the feathers.
After cleaning, it is crucial to dry the feathers and furs completely before storing them. You can use a hairdryer or blow dryer to speed up the drying process. Ensure that all skin surfaces are dry to prevent the growth of mould or bacteria.
To preserve the feathers and furs, borax is highly recommended. Borax is inexpensive, readily available, and serves multiple purposes, including cleaning, bug repelling, and preservation. Lay the feathers or furs flat on a piece of cardboard and sprinkle borax onto any raw skin. Gently rub the borax into the skin and let it dry completely before storing the materials. While borax may affect the natural luster of the feathers and furs, making them appear dull or dirty, it is effective in prolonging their lifespan and preventing deterioration.
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Understanding different feathers and their uses
Chicken feathers are commonly used for fly tying, with specialist chickens being bred with coloured capes to match the specific needs of fly tyers. Rooster and hen pelts, or capes and saddles, are popular choices. The feathers on each have distinct characteristics. Saddles, taken from the back end of the bird, offer uniformity in feather size, while capes, taken from the upper part of the bird, starting at the neck, have more variety in feather sizes.
Saddle feathers, due to their length, are easier to manipulate and tie with, and typically come in just two sizes. Rooster saddles are incredibly long and consistent in size, so multiple dry flies can be tied from just one saddle feather. Hen cape feathers, on the other hand, are longer and narrower than hen saddles, with slightly stiffer barbs. Hen capes offer a wider range of sizes and can be used for various fly patterns, from small wet flies to streamers, and for winging dry flies.
Other types of feathers used in fly tying include rump feathers, breast feathers, primary and secondary wing feathers, neck feathers, flank feathers, and underbody feathers. Rump feathers are great for soft hackle flies due to their natural mottling, while breast feathers are soft and useful for collars and wet fly patterns. Primary wing feathers are strong and durable, ideal for wing slips on traditional wet flies, while secondary wing feathers can be used for wings or tail materials. Neck feathers are small, soft, and have good movement in the water, making them perfect for soft hackle flies or collars. Flank feathers add a natural, buggy appearance to flies, and the fluffy underbody feathers are excellent for dubbing material.
Some feathers used for fly tying have unique properties, such as CDC (Cul de Canard) feathers found on waterfowl and ducks. The natural oils in these feathers repel water, while their structure provides buoyancy as the barbs trap air bubbles. Pheasant rump feathers are another example, providing stiffness to create surface tension between the fly and the water, increasing floatation. Turkey marabou fibres can be used to build movement into the body of nymphs.
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Preparing feathers for tying
Firstly, you can source chicken feathers from bird hunters or breeders, or you can raise your own chickens. If you're raising chickens specifically for their feathers, it's important to select the right breed. Quality feathers come from purebred quality birds, so choose chickens known for their nice, even feathers with regular and clean patterns in the desired colours.
Once you have the chicken, the next step is to skin and pluck the bird. It is recommended to skin the bird after it has been killed and then salt the desired feathers, such as the saddle and hackles. You can then pluck the feathers by hand or use a machine, but be aware that hand plucking makes it easier to separate the desired feathers from the others. After plucking, you can dry the feathers by laying them flat and using a hairdryer on low heat, or placing them in a nylon stocking and putting them in a dryer. Avoid scalding the chicken, as this can affect the quality of the feathers for tying.
Before using the feathers for tying, it's important to clean and preserve them properly. You can pull off any small clumps of meat still clinging to the skin or cut the feathers at the base next to the skin. To preserve the feathers, lay them on cardboard, sprinkle borax onto any raw skin, and let it dry. This will help prevent the breakdown of oils, which can cause the feathers to smell and attract bugs and mites. Alternatively, you can air-dry the feathers, but they may not retain their natural lustre and may appear dirty.
Finally, it's worth noting that different types of chicken feathers have different characteristics and uses in fly tying. Rooster and hen feathers differ in nature, especially those from the neck, back, and shoulder, which are often called "hackles". Rooster back feathers, or "saddle hackles", are more complex and have a central stem with barbs extending outward. Hen hackles have fine, flexible quills that create less bulk when wrapped, making them ideal for tying wet flies. Rooster tail feathers, or "cock tails", can be used for certain fly patterns, while the fluffy feathers under the tail of both hens and roosters can be used as a substitute for marabou on smaller flies.
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Using feathers from other birds
While chicken feathers are commonly used for fly tying, feathers from other birds can also be used. If you are a hunter or know someone who hunts, you can skin and preserve game birds to obtain feathers for fly tying. Skinning a bird can be time-intensive, but it is a great way to preserve an entire pelt, making it easy to sort through feathers and select the exact one you need.
One popular species of bird for fly tying is the ruffed grouse, which can be sold as an entire bird skin or just a package of soft hackle feathers. An entire ruffed grouse skin can provide feathers for soft hackles, tailing material, wing slips, and even cape feathers for dry fly hackle. The pelt typically includes a mix of natural colours like browns, blacks, tans, whites, and speckled feathers. If a fly pattern calls for ruffed grouse and you don't have any, pheasant feathers can be used as a substitute, although they will be slightly larger. Other substitutes for soft hackles include hen, CDL hen, or brahma hen capes/saddles, and starling for smaller feathers. Duck quills can also be used in place of grouse quills for wing slips.
Hungarian partridge and pheasant are other birds whose feathers are used for fly tying, although they can be difficult to find due to short supply. As a result, many fly tiers are turning to synthetic materials to replace certain natural feathers. However, synthetic materials may not be able to match the beauty of upland bird feathers.
Ostrich and rhea are similar birds that can provide larger herl plume feathers, which can be used for creating wings on streamers, ribbing material for nymph bodies, gills/legs, and collars on nymphs. Turkey biots can also be used for fly tying, but they are fragile and may require reinforcement with super glue or UV resin.
When selecting birds for fly tying, it is important to choose purebred quality birds with nice, even feathers that have regular and clean patterns in the desired colours. Additionally, if you plan to slaughter and skin the birds yourself, it is recommended to select birds that are not too shot up or roughed up, as this will result in a better pelt.
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Frequently asked questions
Skin the bird after it has been killed and then salt the saddle and hackles. Do not scald the chicken as this will damage the feathers.
The feathers that are best for fly-tying are those that remain on the skin. Feathers from the neck, back, and shoulders of the bird are often used. These are called "hackles". The feathers from the back of the thighs and under the tail are also useful and can be used as a substitute for "marabou".
After cleaning, the feathers can be plucked. To clean the feathers, pull off any small clumps of meat still clinging to the skin. Then, lay the feathers flat on cardboard and sprinkle borax onto any raw skin. Let it dry and then shake off the excess borax.
Do not dunk the bird in hot water or any water as this will ruin the feathers. Minor damage to feathers is not a big issue as they are destined to be chewed on by fish.
Hunters often cut off the whole tail of a bird, such as a pheasant or grouse, which can be used for fly-tying. You can also buy chicken necks and saddles imported from China and India, or buy genetic hackle grown on specialty farms in the US.
