On the page this skin may look smaller than it is. This is a big skin, about the size of a double page. I say ‘skin’ rather than ‘cape’ because there are two capes, a rather nice rump patch and a couple of other ‘bits’ in this type of skin.

Chickabou is the chicken equivalent of marabou … sort of! The word marabou refers back to a fluffy feather from a marabou stork which was (thankfully) replaced by feathers from rather more mundane domestic turkey feathers.

I have complimented Chevron on the quality of their dye work before, and once again this is excellent. It’s definitely hot orange; the colour is rich and very even, the finished item is a clean, well prepared skin.

The chickabou on this cape, at the rump and legs, is dense, soft and very fluffy. I can pick feathers of a few sizes, but I doubt I’d get into picking sizes, just tie in a feather and tear it to size. Compare this with the turkey marabou I use and the texture here is finer, fibres and stem. Finer fibres means more density or less bulk. All good, really.

Along with the chickabou sections come a fair bit of chicken body and neck hackles, very useful tying material if you tie larger wets – I immediately see feathers for salmon flies, good size and colour. Very little of this skin will go to waste!

As I handled this I became sure if this were mine I would cut it up. I like working with feathers from capes and skin, but this is big and a bit cumbersome. There are really two distinct types of feather here, chickabou and hen hackles, easy enough to cut the whole into more manageable capes and patches.

Priced at £19.95 this is good value. A grizzle version is available for the same price, and Chevron also offers patches and capes if you prefer a specific part.