- Dear Marc:
- Thank you for your e-mail of 9/1/01.
-
- The birds I raise are no longer a recognizable breed. Our principle
line, known originally as the Hoffman grizzly dry fly hackle line, goes
back about 35 years when Henry Hoffman started to develop a hackle line
out of some Barred Plymouth Rock bantams. The other dry fly hackle line
I have is know as the Hebert/Miner stock which goes back 60 or 70 years
to a mixture of fighting cock stock, Blue Andalusian and other Mediterranean
breeds. Then I have developed several other lines from a myriad of breeds.
I have raised poultry my whole life and have a doctorate in poultry genetics.
Last year (2000) we raised and harvested 125,000 birds solely for their
feathers which are used by fishing fly tiers.
-
- About 10 years ago, soon after I started Whiting Farms, I brought
in a wide array of different breeds to study them in relation to the stocks
I had acquired. Amongst the breeds I tried out were the Phoenix and Yokohama
breeds. These, when compared to the dry fly hackle lines, are fundamentally
different. The long tailed fowl actually have two genes; "Gt"
for non-limited feather growth and "mt" for non-molt. I'm sure
you already know this. I point
- it out though because these two genes are limited in their action to
the tail and schlappen feathers immediately in front of the tail. While
the lines I have involve an entirely different feather tract, the "saddle"
tract, immediately in front of the tail and behind the wings. These are
the feathers that provide the fine fly tying hackle. Interestingly, the
tails on many of the roosters are stunted, very small, and sometimes non
existent even.
-
- The Hoffman line in recent years has been refined to never stop growing
their saddle feathers. We harvest them at about 45 weeks of age when their
saddle feathers are getting close to the cage wire. I do a fair amount
of behavioral and body conformational selection to evolve a strain that
has both the stance and temperament to be able to carry a fine saddle to
this length. All roosters are raised in single cages with amble room to
move around. We also manipulate their lighting program to optimize their
feather growth.
-
- One thing I suppose I should let you know from the start is I do not
release any of these stocks to any fanciers or potential competitors. A
month doesn't go by that I don't receive one of two requests for stock
which I have to diplomatically explain why we cannot release any. The genetics
of these lines are very valuable and are highly guarded. I even keep redundant
populations of pedigreed females on two of my 4 production facilities at
all times to protect against disasters such as disease, fire or suffocation.
-
- Even with this said I do allow in individuals to see the operations
if I consider it OK. As an example I have two gentlemen from Japan here
right now, and have just given them a tour. I give slide shows and talks
around the USA also. In October I will be giving two in Arkansas, one at
a fly fisherman's conclave and a lecture at the University of Arkansas
poultry science
- department. I may be going to Japan in November for a speaking tour
and fly fishing show there.
-
- I hope to be able to visit the poultry genetics preservation facility
there in Japan where they keep a number of the very special Japanese breeds.
If you are ever in the United States I could probably show you my birds.
All we would have to do is make arrangements. If you have any other questions
please feel free to e-mail me. Also if you have any other requests in regard
to materials for your web site let me know.
-
- Best regards, Tom Whiting
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