Stream,

Genetic Hen makes a great soft hackle, as do many of our game birds like partridge, chukkar, quail, etc. For books, one of our members is selling his collection of Ray Bergman's Trout for really good prices. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...Trout-Blow-out

If you go with the gamebirds, I've found the packages of loose feathers are almost useless. I buy the entire bird skin and have feathers that will probably last my lifetime.

Steven mentioned a starling skin and that is a great bird for hackling flies. Almost every feather on the bird can be used in one way or the other.

REE