Long Feathers for Clogged Kitchen Drain

I live in the country, and have a septic system, and a "gray water" system, into which our kitchen sink drains. We have to be very careful about not clogging it with food or other particles. One day, I decided to try a bit of Rid-X in the sink as I was used to putting it into the septic system. But it clogged the drain shut.

In a panic, I tried hot water, a wooden skewer, a chop stick, all to no avail. I couldn't find a plunger. But I did remember that I have long goose/hawk feathers which we found in our yard. I put it down into the clog, and it was flexible enough to take out the clog straightaway. Like magic! Needless to say, I dried out the feather and kept it for future use.