Chicken Taxidermy?

[Orange Ribbon]

Boy, am I having a bad hair day. Can't find my comb anywhere!

But I have been having fun sitting outside watching the chickens. You just can't get much more excitement than that.

I used to be a taxidermist--well, I guess I am still a taxidermist--but, I had to give it up as a business due to health reasons. Just couldn't work with those big mammal hides anymore. But something I've often wondered about is: How well would life like stuffed chickens sell? I wouldn't raise them just for that, of course, but if I were going to put a few in the freezer or one got killed somehow, I could skin it out, mount it, and put it in a basket or something. The selling price would have to be around 150.00 bucks or so to be worth fooling with. I don't know that I'd get into it, but just wondered what your thoughts might be on the subject and if you think they would be popular or not. I'm sure other people already stuff chickens, I just haven't seen any. I don't get out of the hollow too often.

 

[Teach97]

I have a couple I plan on getting mounted when they die...buddy does it for fun and my oldest wants to learn...my buddy already mounts his pheasants wehn they die...red goldens, yellow goldens

 

[dmccann]

Some days i could stuff all of mine,bad girls!

 

[maple]

I think we've seen some on ebay. Don't know the demand is high though.

 

[muddyhorse]

rooster capes sell really well to fly fishermen. you could do that

 

[Illia]

Yep, rooster capes do well, as for taxidermy. . . I'd love to have a couple of my boys done in the future when they pass, but I have no clue on how well it would sell otherwise. I think one big ticket to doing well is having noteworthy birds. Beautiful birds. - Not just everyday ones.

 

[galanie]

How would you go about preserving a rooster cape? Just skin him and freeze it or what?

 

[Nambroth]

Quote:
If you just want to preserve his cape, skin him out, remove any access fat from the skin (you can gently use wire brushes, an old stiff toothbrush, butterknife, etc.. to scrape). If you don't remove any fat, it can leak 'grease' into the feathers over time and soil them. If the feathers are soiled at all, wash them, skin and all, in water and normal dawn dish soap. Rinse very, very well until no soap remain and the feahters 'drift' away from one another when held underwater. Blow dry the feathers (very important!! if you let them air dry they will look matted and far less beautiful) completely dry. Then rub normal Borax lightly into the skin side, and pin it to a piece of board in the desired shape. Once it dies it will not be flexible ... it won't be like a tanned skin. It will be fairly rigid.

 

[Baymule]

So what breeds of rooster skins are popular for the fishies?

 

[galanie]

Quote:
If you just want to preserve his cape, skin him out, remove any access fat from the skin (you can gently use wire brushes, an old stiff toothbrush, butterknife, etc.. to scrape). If you don't remove any fat, it can leak 'grease' into the feathers over time and soil them. If the feathers are soiled at all, wash them, skin and all, in water and normal dawn dish soap. Rinse very, very well until no soap remain and the feahters 'drift' away from one another when held underwater. Blow dry the feathers (very important!! if you let them air dry they will look matted and far less beautiful) completely dry. Then rub normal Borax lightly into the skin side, and pin it to a piece of board in the desired shape. Once it dies it will not be flexible ... it won't be like a tanned skin. It will be fairly rigid.

Thank you! I wondered about this. Might be a long time before I do this but I figured I'd ask while I had the chance