Rare Chickens Are Bred For Fishermen

Rare Chickens Are Bred For Fishermen LIVESTOCK Poultry A Canadian family farm that raises cattle and hay has an unusual sideline business raising rare chickens bred strictly for their special feathers which are used in the fly-tying trade     According to John Howard there are only 15 to 20 hackle farms in the world so it s a business that s extremely specialized     Feathers become hackle when one or more of them are wrapped around a fishing hook to produce a fly Dry flies have a spiky appearance designed to imitate an insect s legs on the surface of the water and wet flies will submerge in the water Fishermen who tie flies are craftsmen who use a variety of patterns feather sizes and colors to achieve the exact effect they want A wide selection of flies is needed to target many different fish species under a variety of conditions     Near Didsbury Alberta John and Bonny Howard and their family are only one hour from one of North America s top fly fishing spots the Bow River Also the climate where they live enhances the quality of the feathers their chickens produce      We are the world s most northern hackle producer and the only one in Canada Our temperatures range from 80 F in the summer to lows of û45 F in the winter This cold harsh climate leads to enhanced feather quality as the birds adapt They grow more feathers and have an increased barb count Howard says     Of course genetics play a big part too When making breeding decisions the Howard family s aim is to produce the maximum number of feathers which are longer narrower and more uniform than regular chicken feathers The flexibility of the stem quill or shaft is crucial so hackle breeders genetically select for the ideal shaped stem      We started raising hackle in 1991 and bought out a U S breeder so our flock of 800 birds has over 60 years of hackle genetics behind it John says The quality of our birds has steadily improved     Hackle chickens are very rare and breeding stock is simply not available unless a breeder retires or sells out according to Howard      These birds are extremely pampered They get the best of feed and housing and a lot of care is required Cleanliness is critical he says     Capes necks and saddles backs are the two areas of the chicken that produces top quality hackle so this is how the processed birds are marketed Roosters are harvested more than hens due to the superior quality hackle they produce      Depending on the graded quality natural necks sell for between $45 and $77 Can and natural saddles are $25 to $45 Can each Dyed necks are priced at $69 Can and dyed saddles are $42 Can each Howard Hackle also offers Beginner Packs containing a selection of half neck colors for $59 to $64 Can each Shipping and handling is $3 for 1 to 3 pieces in Canada and the U S      Our customers include individual fishermen who tie their own flies factories and fishing supply stores Howard explains We get orders from around the world including Germany Sweden Italy Thailand Finland Australia the U S and here at home     Orders can be placed by calling Howard Hackle between 6 p m and 10 p m Mountain Standard Time     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Howard Hackle P O Box 1 Site 5 RR 2 Didsbury Alberta Canada T0M 1W0 866 455-8473; ajhoward @telusplanet net; www howard hackle com

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