Using All of Your Chickens-Feather Meal

[Lisa Ambrose]

I found this link that says to steam/pressure cook & sterilize the feathers, then dry them out, then grind them up. You could use appliances you likely already have in your kitchen for this.
http://www.bettervegetablegardening.com/feather-meal-fertilizer.html

 

[Kimi BK]

I found this link that says to steam/pressure cook & sterilize the feathers, then dry them out, then grind them up. You could use appliances you likely already have in your kitchen for this.
http://www.bettervegetablegardening.com/feather-meal-fertilizer.html

? That link tells how to use feather meal but I didn't see anything that said how to make it...?

 

[Sally PB]

This is a very old thread. I don't know if the posters have been on BYC in years, so they're not likely to answer. Maybe start a new thread?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm not sure where they went wrong in their internet search, or how detailed the instructions they are seeking, but within the first 8 hits in my search, I ran across a paper discussing the technique. Feathers are steamed under pressure (temperature determining the final product to some extent, there are pros and cons to various heat levels, various amounts of time - but you are talking 280-300 degree range +/-) then baked dry (again, differing temps, range of results) then ground up.

The process is hydrolyzation, and the temps affect how proteins are broken down.

Still, its not rocket science.

https://www.feedipedia.org/node/213

https://www.slideshare.net/vicky14381/production-of-feather-meal
(describes commercial process - needs to be "downsized" for home use)

https://library.wur.nl/ojs/index.php/njas/article/view/16557/15971

etc.

I didn't answer earlier because I know nothing about it.

 

[Hopulence]

This is an old thread, but getting some replies to why not:

I haven't made feather meal, but I have made my own bone meal. I imagine the process could be similar.

I first used the bones to make stock. Obviously you won't do that with feathers, but the process there could be similar. Pressure cook or boil to start the process of breaking down / cleaning.

I then put the bones in the oven on the lowest setting my oven could handle to dry them out. I forget how long it took - maybe an hour or so.

They then ground up very easy to a powder.

 

[Torinik]

Not an answer to the question, but just how I do it.
Feathers can go on the compost heap but they take quite long to decompose.
I just bury all butcher waste, feathers and all, near my fruit trees and they seem to be doing really well on that bit extra. I don't use any other fertilizer besides that.
To me this is the least amount of effort. Just let nature break it down away from any varmint and release the nutrients slowly over time to the fruit trees.

 

[raingarden]

You can buy feather meal for about a dollar per pound for use as a feed ingredient or fertilizer. You cannot make it that cheaply and, if you could, you would not want to use it as a feed ingredient. Composting is a better way to recover the nutrients for fertilizer.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40093-018-0204-z

 

[Alwaysnoob]

I am also wondering how to best make my own.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I am also wondering how to best make my own.

See my post above, here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ur-chickens-feather-meal.783463/post-24634686

Its chemistry. You need controlled, high temperature, steam. Chances are near 100% you don't have the equipment to do it at home, and the cost of such equipment easily exceeds any savings obtained by making your own over any reasonable time scale.

Good luck, whatever you decide.