Well, the general rule on feathers is - shrink the size of the bird and you will find smaller feathers.
I do, however, offer with this post one alternative approach. One more tool in our toolkit, as it were. Flytying is all about having choices.
First a sample fly, just a simple generic softy, but one shrunk down in size. The challenge often is to find a suitable size hackle.
![Image](http://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/proton.jpg)
Proton
Hook: Mustad 540L #28 (or equivalent)
Thread: Benecchi 12/0, grey
Hackle: Single barb taken from the webby part of a Whiting Brahma hen neck
Body: SLF Minky dubbing, #22 mayfly yellow
Here is a picture of the single barb which forms the collar on the Proton, next to the finished fly
![Image](http://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/proton_hackle.jpg)
The back of the Whiting Brahma hen neck
![Image](http://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/proton_brahma_back.jpg)
Detail image of where to locate the barbs
![Image](http://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/proton_back_of_neck_detail.jpg)
The barbs highlighted
![Image](http://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/proton_barb_highlighted.jpg)
Cheers,
Hans W