Feather Xtensions: Fashion Or Murder?

Rooster-feather hair-extensions are the craze right now, but the demand for the feathers could be contributing to an increase in rooster deaths at feather facilities around the nation, according to media reports. Rooster feathers have long been used for fly-fishing lures, but the current demand for feathers is exceeding the supply.

Feather harvesting usually involves letting roosters live only as long as it takes for their backside feathers to grow as long as possible, according to The Associated Press. When the roosters are about 1 year old, their feathers are harvested and the roosters are euthanized; in many cases, the roosters don’t survive the plucking process.

The hair-feathers—which are soaring in price—have been made popular by celebrities including Steven Tyler, Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus, who tie them to random strands of hair for a streaked look or wear them as extensions.