How do I preserve a rooster pelt?

[BirdBrainBoys]

Just joined! but have to say this site has been a tremendous help for us as we've started to raise chickens over the last year and a half.

A follow-up question about using Borax: We successfully preserved our own rooster pelt by using Borax, but what do you do exactly to clean out the pelt of all the remaining Borax?

 

[Fly Fisher]

If your pelt is full of borax, fat, dirt etc you can rehydrate it after drying. Soak it in warm water with some dish detergent. You can agitate the water with your fingers to fully clean.

Once fully soaked you can return it to it's normal size by stretching it out on cardboard. Stretch it good and press it firmly to cardboard. it will seal right to the cardboard and dry perfectly in a few days.

If you choose the rehydration method be sure to fluff the feathers against the grain several times during the drying process.
When the skin is fully dry it is best to trim it rather than peel it from the cardboard. Use a scapel or exacto and trace same shape as skin taking the outside 1/4" or so. you will have a neat professional look.

If I am not in a hurry I will usually leave the skins onb the cardboard for several weeks.

fly

 

[Poultry Couture]

Sounds cool! Ive never tried to treat my own pelts before. I just have others do it for me

 

[frostbite]

I read one article that recommended rubbing with cornmeal to get the borax out.

Of course, then you have to get the cornmeal out!

Then you'd have to use something to get out whatever you got the cornmeal out with....

This could take awhile!

 

[Poultry Couture]

Lol! Yes!

 

[BirdBrainBoys]

Thanks, Fly Fisher!

 

[Fly Fisher]

Just another note on the subject. I only use the rehydration method as a last resort. It is labor intensive and I do not like the look of the final product once packaged. I actually try to avoid getting a skin wet at any point in the process.

My preferred method is to clean the skins perfectly and use the cardboard method described without any treatment at all. Once they are fully dried I will dust them in a bucket of borax and shake the skin free of dust. If dried properly nothing will stick to the skin.

I will post a pic or two later showing some preserved capes and saddles.

fly

 

[BirdBrainBoys]

Thanks, but I think I'm missing something here. If you've dried them completely in borax, why would you put them back in a bucket of borax?
You're main point though is that the borax is easily shaken out, correct? And the rehydration method is used just in case the initial skinning/cleaning didn't get all the fat and dirt off?

 

[Fly Fisher]

Below are some photos of preserved skins. The first photo is dry fly capes ready for sale.



Next photo is dry method on cardboard. produces a waxy look and feel to the skin / hide. trims neatly. Leaves a fairly stiff product that packages well.



the next is a Dry Fly Saddle Skin prepared with additional rehydration method due to it's light color. Light colored birds may need some washing



The method above leaves a cleaner look and a softer more flexible hide. A little more challenging to package.


fly

 

[Fly Fisher]

B B Boys,

Most of my skins are dried on cardboard with no use of chemicals at all (borax, salt, dry gas etc.)
Once they are fully dry I will dust them lightly in borax. This step is to remove any missed moisture and give a quick bug proofing prior to packaging. If done correctly there will be almost no residue from the borax.

The rehydration method is sometimes needed with white, dun, cream and light ginger birds. Especially the long saddles feathers that get stepped on or dragged on the ground. I use this method only when washing is needed.

I try to avoid this step by housing light colored birds in special cages with roosts designed to keep their saddles off the ground. This helps but is not foolproof. The white ones always seem to find a way to get dirty.

fly