Cleaning feathers to use for crafts

[LarissaEsq]

Commenting to save this, because we JUST got our pullets last night, and already someone wants to buy feathers!

 

[lauranickerson]

They build up quick! Soon you'll have feathers in every nook and cranny of your house because you pick up a couple each time you go out and then set them down somewhere different every time and lose track. Hahaha. Happens to me all the time. When I'm plucking a dead bird, my boyfriend just rolls his eyes and shakes his head now. Lol. Kind of an addict/hoarder.

 

[lauranickerson]

Hey I was really wanting meat birds this spring. Probably will do a mix of Cornish X and Freedom Rangers. Since they are usually gross and filthy birds, does anyone know if their feathers are worth saving?

 

[Miss Dottie]

Excellent post...thank you for the info...book marking as I am prepping for a project. I recently lost my most special rooster, who was my daughter's keeper as well as looking after and raising my growing chicks as the hens were done with them. He was really one of a kind. I had a necropsy done...no mite or parasites, still waiting on a definite cause of death, but I saved many of his feathers hoping to make a nice memorial for him for my daughter. This post gave me all the info I needed and I feel confident I can clean them now and move forward with my project. Thanks again.

 

[gallinaplaygrnd]

So many great tips! The best I've been able to find in my research. I've been saving feathers for two years now. I need to deal with them now that my chickens have started molting again (and I've started collecting feathers....again )Thanks guys!

 

[sktlmt]

I saved the tail feathers of 3 of my roosters. I have washed them and rinsed them. I put them in a mesh bag and was going to toss them in the dryer. But then I noticed the feathers poking out thru the mesh so I stopped and came here. After reading this thread I am thinking putting them in the dryer is a bad idea. So my question is would a food dehydrator be a good place to dry feathers? or even in a low oven?

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Is it a long process to clean feathers? I have a last minute project for tonight and I don't have any clean feathers. I am debating about collecting a couple or buying some from the store.

 

[AthenasOwl]

What "I" do is hand wash in Woolite (Tried using blue Dawn and the feathers seemed like there was a film left on them). I rinse well, and then I use the hair drier one by one to form each feather and dry them fully. It is time consuming, but the feathers come out clean, SOFT, and look like they originally did on the bird!

 

[conchopearl]

Bumping this so maybe someone can nswer the last question asked. Sorry I saw the answer.

 

[nTownFARMgrl]

reID just started with chickens here recently and plan to save feathers from all of them for crafts and other things. So far none of our chickens have been butchered yet but every time I go out and check on them I go ahead and pick any lost feathers off the ground. I figure already damaged ones would be good practice and a few of ours we got as chicks that were our starters so I thought it might be fun to keep them through their whole lives for some reason. Anyway, we use a clothesline for drying our clothes so instead of a dryer has anyone one tried hanging them on a clothesline? We do have a dryer but but I try not to use it much because of the heat and electric bill so I do have one if its necessary but just wondering if anyone has tried the clothesline?