Blood and Feathers

[Alwayswantchics]

Next week I will be self processing my first birds. What do I do with all the feathers and how so I dispose of the blood?

 

[Azriel]

I till the feathers and blood into the garden.

 

[Alwayswantchics]

Once processed how should I preserve them? Do I need to do anything special?

 

[Salt and Light]

It all depends on where you live. I leave the blood and feathers where they drop. Chickens and dogs eat the blood and I the feathers eventually disappear. There really isn't that much blood, even with 25 chickens. If you don't want to leave the feathers just rake 'em up in a bag.

 

[Salt and Light]

Once processed how should I preserve them? Do I need to do anything special?

I let them rest for a couple days then vacuum seal 'em. In the past, I put them in the fridge for resting but my last batch I put in a LARGE cooler in garage covered with ice. It worked OK but even though I drained the water several times a day, chickens on the bottom got water logged. I'm doing another batch in a couple weeks and this time I'm freezing water in very large zip lock bags and placing those in the cooler. This way, there will be no melt water and I can just keep recycling the thawed bags with frozen bags.

 

[Wax Myrtle]

I dilute the blood as it drains with water and then pour it in my composter. Feathers usually go to the dump. :/

 

[delisha]

You can wash all the down and small feathers and save them to make pillows or to sell at flee markets.