Instead of getting Blue-eared Pheasant (as much as I like the stuff), you'd be better off buying strung schlappen or rooster side tail feathers for spey hackle. Schlappen sells for around $4.00 a 1/4 ounce, which is a fair number of feathers for the average tyer, while Blue-eared Pheasant is like $1.00 a feather or somewhere between $150.00 and $225.00 a skin.
Or you can pick up some Whiting Spey Rooster Hackle, or Whiting Spey Hen Hackle, which are both excellent spey hackles for around $56.00 per neck for the Rooster neck and $25.00 for the hen neck. The feathers on the spey hen neck have shorter fibers than those on the rooster neck, just like with any other chicken necks.
And as far as winging material for dee flies, any decent turkey tail will work. But the easiest turkey to work with is the tail covert feathers. They have fibers nearly as long as the main tail feathers, but they are much softer and easier to tie with. Just pick up tail feathers in different natural and dyed colors. Although the ones on the tan side you will find most useful.
